Every year, juvaniles start over 35,000 fires that hurt people and damage property. You can do your part to prevent fires by teaching your kids about the dangers of playing with matches, lighters, and other fire sources. It is also important to stay away from fireplaces, candles, and stoves. The best way to fight fire is preventing fires in the first place!
Home Drills
It's great to talk about emergency plans, but it's even better if you practice them, like the fire drills at school. Having a fire drill at home gives everyone a chance to see how they would react in a real emergency. You can see how quickly and safely everyone can get out of the house. Your family should practice this drill twice a year, every year. It's also a good time change the batteries in your smoke alarms.
A good rule of thumb during a home fire drill is to see if your family can safely get out the house using the escape routes and meet outside at the same place within 3 minutes. For an extra challenge, you might try variations, like pretending that the front door was blocked and you couldn't get out that way.
Directives in this section were provided by kidshealth.org
Backyard Grilling Safety
According to the NFPA, gas and charcoal grills caused an average of 3,400 structure fires and 4,900 outdoor fires in or on home properties in 2005, resulting in a combined direct property loss of $137 million. To make sure your next barbecue doesn't go up in flames, consider the following safety tips:
1) Designate the grilling area a "No Play Zone" keeping kids and pets well away until grill equipment is completely cool.
2) Before using, position your grill at least 10 feet away from other objects, including the house and any shrubs or bushes.
3) Always stay by the grill when cooking.
4) Check the connection between propane tank and the fuel line to be sure it is working properly and not leaking.
5) Never use a match to check for leaks. If you detect a leak, immediately turn off the gas and don't attempt to light the grill.
6) Never bring a barbecue grill indoors, or into any unventilated space. This is both a fire and carbon monoxide poisoning hazard.
