How Safe Is Your Home?
Each year, over 4,000 Americans
perish and more than 20,000 others suffer serious
injuries because of residential fires.
Dear Valued Citizen:
Please take a few moments to
complete the self-inspection checklist listed on this
page. While some items might not apply to your household,
any items you answer "NO" could represent a
potential hazard in your home that should be corrected.
If you answer "YES" to all of the items, we
congratulate you on your personal fire prevention
efforts! Thank you for your time and for your interest in
fire safety.
Walter A. Fairbanks
Training Chief
|
Home Self-Inspection
Checklist
| YES/NO
|
All of my
family members know to dial 9-1-1 in an emergency. |
| YES/NO
|
Every
sleeping area and each level of my home is
equipped with a working smoke detector. |
| YES/NO
|
My house
numbers can be seen from the street by emergency
responders. |
| YES/NO
|
Household
chemicals, matches, and cigarette lighters are
stored out of reach of children. |
| YES/NO
|
Gasoline
is kept in an approved safety container,
preferably stored in a locked garage or storage
shed. |
| YES/NO
|
Electrical
cords are not damaged and are properly used. |
| YES/NO
|
I have a
fire extinguisher in my kitchen and know how to
use it. |
| YES/NO
|
No
combustible materials are stored near cooking
areas or heating appliances. |
| YES/NO
|
My
fireplace is equipped with a proper screen and
fireplace ashes are properly disposed of. |
| YES/NO
|
The lint
collector on my clothes dryer is inspected and
cleaned before each use. |
| YES/NO
|
I
generally practice good housekeeping habits in
keeping work areas, the garage, heater closets,
etc. free of potential fire hazards. |
| YES/NO
|
My kitchen
vent-a-hood is clean and properly maintained. |
| YES/NO
|
I test my
smoke detectors once a month. |
| YES/NO
|
I change
the batteries in my smoke detectors every year,
or sooner if necessary. |
| YES/NO
|
Paints,
thinners, and other flammable liquids are stored
in their original containers, well away from
heat, sparks, or flame. |
| YES/NO
|
I never
leave cooking food unattended. |
| YES/NO
|
I never
smoke when drowsy or when in bed. |
| YES/NO
|
Each room
in my home has two clear exits. |
| YES/NO
|
My family
developed and practices an Emergency Escape Plan. |
|
Did You Know.........
Survival Tips
- Make sure your family has
an escape plan. Contact the Fire Prevention
office or your neighborhood fire station for more
information on developing a plan.
- Sleep with the bedroom door
closed. Closed doors provide protection against
heat and smoke.
- Teach everyone in your
household to recognize the sound of your smoke
alarm.
- Test doors before opening
them. You can easily be overcome by heat, smoke
or flames when you open a door to an area where a
fire has spread.
- Use windows as alternate
exits.
- Crawl low under smoke.
During a fire, super heated air and toxic gases
fill the room from the top down. This leaves a
"safety zone" of breathable air about
12 to 24 inches above the floor.
- Call 9-1-1. Unless you are
trapped inside, it's too dangerous to call from a
burning home. Once you have escaped and reported
to your meeting place, call 9-1-1 on a neighbor's
telephone.
- If your clothes catch on
fire: Stop, Drop, and Roll.
Learn Not To Burn! Fire Smart
Equals Fire Safe!!!
Fire destroys more property and
claims more lives annually than any natural disaster. It
is also the most preventable disaster.
Please help us reduce the
senseless loss of property and lives in our community by
making a conscious effort to maintain a home free of fire
hazards. Share this information with relatives and
friends. Remember, fire prevention begins with education.
Should you have any questions
regarding fire safety, or want more information on any of
these topics, please call our Fire Prevention Division at
(254)442-3078 or E-Mail us.
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