Fire safety tips from Gerry Maiatico, Warren County Fire Marshall

October 6th-12th is this year’s Fire Prevention Week, with the theme of “Not Every Hero Wears a Cap. Plan and Practice Your Escape!”

“Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” focuses on what a home escape plan entails and the value of practicing it. These messages are more important than ever, particularly because today’s homes burn faster than ever. Fire Chief Richard E. Mabie warns that the materials used in modern home furnishings, along with the fact that newer homes tend to be built with more open spaces and unprotected lightweight construction, are contributing factors to the increased burn rate which places the homes occupants in greater risk.

“People tend to underestimate their risk to fire, particularly at home. That over-confidence lends itself to a complacency toward home escape planning and practice,” said Chief Mabie. “But in a fire situation, we’ve seen time and again that advance planning can make a potentially life-saving difference.”

A home escape plan includes working smoke alarms on every level of the home, in every bedroom, and near all sleeping areas. It also includes two ways out of every room, usually a door and a window, with a clear path to an outside meeting place (like a tree, light pole or mailbox) that’s a safe distance from the home. Home escape plans should be practiced twice a year by all members of the household.

For more information about Fire Prevention Week and “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!,” along with a wealth of resources to help promote the campaign locally, visit fpw.org.

The Department also reminds our community that if your home is without the protection of a life-saving smoke alarm, contact us at 540-636-3830 to schedule to receive a free one today!

As we approach fire prevention week, we also remind our community to follow these fire and life safety tips to increase the safety in your home!

• Always unplug small appliances when they aren’t in use.
• Never overload electrical circuits, and always replace cracked or frayed wires.
• If your clothing catches fire, remember: stop, drop and roll.
• Dispose of hot ashes in a metal container with a tight fitting lid outdoors, at a safe distance from the house.
• Keep space heaters at least 3 feet away from drapes, clothing and other combustible items.
• Never force a 3-prong plug into a 2-slot outlet or extension cord.
• If a fire breaks out while you’re cooking, cover the burning pan with a lid to smother the flames. Never throw water on a grease fire.
• Have the whole family take part in routine fire drills.
• Keep towels, potholders and curtains away from flames and heat sources.
• Never leave cooking unattended. A serious fire can start in just seconds.
• Planning and rehearsing a home fire escape plan is a smart thing to do.
• Close your matchbook and hold it away from your body before striking a match. Set your cigarette lighter on low flame.
• Learn how and when to use a fire extinguisher.
• If you must escape through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees to the nearest exit.
• Keep cooking areas free of combustibles. Avoid wearing long sleeves while cooking.
• If you start to feel drowsy while watching TV or reading, extinguish your cigarette or cigar.
• Designate an outdoor meeting place for your family to gather at in the event of a fire.
• Keep lit candles away from bedding, curtains, papers and anything else that can ignite easily.
• Don’t run electrical wires under your bed or trap them against a wall where heat can build up.
• Have your furnace and chimney inspected and cleaned every year.
• Test smoke alarm batteries often, and replace them when you change the time on your clocks: in the spring and in the fall.
• Store matches and lighters in a secure spot that’s out of your children’s reach.
• Teach children how to use 911 in an emergency.
• Never get into an elevator during a fire; always take the stairs.
• Keep the underbrush around your home neatly trimmed.
• Be careful with campfire food: waving around molten marshmallows can be dangerous.
• Don’t use planters or flowerpots as ashtrays! The peat moss they often contain is highly flammable.
• Stack firewood at least 30 feet away from your home and other structures.
• If you smell gas in your home, leave immediately and call the fire department from outside the house.
• Make sure your house number is clearly visible from the road.
• Never leave lit candles unattended.
• Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations far away from open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs.
• Always use stable candleholders made of non-flammable materials such as metal or glass.
• Install smoke detectors on every floor of your home, outside each sleeping area, and anywhere that flammable materials are stored.
• Keep a glass or metal screen in front of your fireplace, and make sure the surrounding area is clear of flammable items.
• Be extremely cautious when decorating with candles. Use long fireplace-style matches to light candles inside of jack-o’-lanterns, and make sure lit pumpkins are kept far away from combustible items. Supervise children at all times near an open flame.
• Never use an extension cord that’s coiled or bunched together. The wires may generate heat that could melt the casing and cause a fire.
• In the event of a house fire, your first priority is to get outside safely. Call 911 after you’ve exited the building. Never attempt to go back inside a burning house.
• Don’t leave the dryer running when you go out; it could malfunction during your absence.
• Store gasoline in an appropriate container inside your garage or shed.
• Don’t smoke in bed, when you’re drowsy, or if you’re under the influence of alcohol or medication. Smoking is a leading cause of fire-related deaths.
• Don’t play with matches or lighters.
• Never leave a lit barbecue unattended.
• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years. If you can’t remember how old the alarm is, it’s probably time for a new one.
• Keep a multipurpose fire extinguisher in your home and make sure all household members know how to use it.
• Provide smokers with large, deep ashtrays and empty them frequently. Douse butts with water before discarding.
• Don’t operate the dryer without a lint filter in place. Clean the filter before or after each use, and wipe away any buildup of lint around the drum.
• Make sure all flammable liquids are properly identified and stored away from heat and flames.
• Never use gas or charcoal grills indoors.
• In the event of a fire, check doorknobs for excessive heat with the back of your hand before using them.