A home fire can be one of the most devastating disasters. Take these fire prevention steps now to protect your home and family.
Having the correct fire safety equipment is an integral part of fire prevention. These items should be easily accessible and checked regularly.
Install smoke detectors on every story home and outside bedrooms.
Keep smoke detectors free from dust.
Test every detector once a month.
Replace batteries twice a year.
You can purchase inexpensive detectors for the hearing impaired.
Make sure the light on your smoke detector is blinking.
Mount fire extinguishers in your kitchen, garage, and any workshops.
Fire extinguishers are for small fires only. Call 911 if it is a large fire.
Know how to operate a fire extinguisher before an emergency.
Fire prevention is difficult when it comes to wildfires, but there are things you can do to lessen the damage.
- Use fire-resistant material wherever possible.
- Clean up dead leaves, debris, and timber from around your home, on your roof, in gutters and vents, and under decks.
- Remove grills, lawn furniture, and other outdoor material.
- Windows can break or burn at relatively low heat. Cover all windows with operable metal shutters and use fire-resistant curtains.
- Avoid building wooden pathways, fences, sheds, and trellises near your home.
- Close outside attic, vents, windows, and doors.
- If you leave your home, close inside doors to prevent drafts.
- Open the damper but close the fireplace screen if you have a fireplace.
- Shut off the gas or any propane/fuel source.
- Fill pools, hot tubs, garbage cans, tubs, or any other large containers with water.
- Back your car into the driveway and roll up the windows.
- Disconnect the automatic garage door opener so doors can be opened by hand if the power goes out. Keep all garage doors closed.
- Keep a battery-powered radio close by as wildfires often affect power lines.