In the summer, we enjoy fireworks, campfires, and barbecues. We also store gasoline for the lawn mower.
Grilling – keep barbecue grills far away from anything that can burn – your home, cars, dry vegetation, etc. Don’t leave the grill unattended and keep children and pets well away from the area. Protect yourself by wearing a heavy apron and an oven mitt that fits high up over your forearm.
Fireworks – The safest way to enjoy fireworks is to attend an outdoor public display put on by professionals. Pyrotechnic devices (better known as fireworks) are designed to burn and explode, and are a leading cause of injuries in the U.S. Even sparklers, often mistaken as safe, burn as hot as 1200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Gasoline Safety – Store gasoline outside the home, preferably in a locked, detached shed, and store just enough to power your gasoline-fueled equipment. Keep gasoline full, not nearly empty, inside a clearly marked container that’s labeled and approved for gasoline storage. Make sure gasoline and all flammable liquids are well away from any heat source or flame.
Camping – Pitch your tent (flame retardant is best) well away from your campfire. Only use flash lights or battery-powered lanterns inside the tent or any other closed space, as opposed to liquid-fueled heater or lanterns. Build your campfire in a barrel off the ground. Store liquid fire starter – NEVER use gasoline – away from your tent and campfire, and use only dry kindling to freshen a campfire – not liquid fuel.
In the fall, we have candles in jack-o-lanterns and other places in our homes for decorations. Candles greatly increase the chance of fire, so we encourage people to use flashlights to light pumpkins and for other spooky effects. Decorations for special events, most often involving candles, account for an annual average of 900 home fires, causing nearly $6 million in direct property damage, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Additionally, in the United States, more than 100 people die each year as a result of their clothing becoming ignited.
In the winter, we burn fires in fireplaces and there are threats from alternative sources of home heating. There are also threats from Christmas trees and decorative lighting. On average, more than one-third of home fire deaths in the U.S. occur during winter months. The home heating fire problem in America is largely one of human error, particularly with the misuse of portable heater, fireplaces, and wood burning stoves.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO
Escape Plan – In a fire or other emergency, you may need to evacuate your house, apartment, or mobile home on a moment’s notice. You should be ready to get out fast. Develop an escape plan by drawing a floor plan of your residence. Using a black or blue pen, show the location of doors, window, stairways, and large furniture. Indicate the location of emergency supplies (Disaster Supplies Kit), fire extinguishers, smoke detection, collapsible ladders, first aid kits, and utility shutoff points. Next, use a colored pen to draw a broken line charting at least two escape routes from each room. Finally, mark a place outside of the home where household members should meet in case of fire. Be sure to include important points outside, such as garages, patios, stairways, elevators, driveways, and porches. If your home has more than two floors, use an additional sheet of paper. Practice emergency evacuation drills with all household members at least two times each year.
- Plan two escape routes out of each room.
- Teach family members to stay low to the ground when escaping from a fire. Teach family members never to open doors that are hot. In a fire, feel the bottom of the door with the palm of your hand. If it is hot, do not open the door. Find another way out.
- Teach children not to play with lighters and matches.
- Install smoke detectors. Clean and test smoke detectors once a month. Change batteries at least once a year.
- Keep a whistle in each bedroom to awaken household members in case of fire. Check extension cords, multi-plugs, and electrical outlets. Do not overload outlets.
- Purchase at least one fire extinguisher (5lb., A-B-C type).
- Have a collapsible ladder on each upper floor of your house.
- Consider installing home sprinklers.
- Be sure each child knows the stop, drop, and roll technique in the event their clothing catches fire. (Stop immediately, drop to the ground covering your face with your hands, and roll over and over to extinguish the flames).
- Hold fire safety assemblies and classes at your school. Ask the local fire department to participate and have them bring the fire safety house for children to have “hands on experience.”