Fire Escape Plans

Safe Use & Selection of KEROSENE HEATERS

Carbon Monoxide Warning

Home Inspection by Room

Child Passenger Safety

Every 15 seconds, a fire department responds to a fire somewhere in the United States. A residential fire occurs every 66 seconds. There is one civilian fire death every 118 minutes. There is one civilian fire injury every 18 minutes.

Change Your Clock-Replace Your Battery
Chances are about 95 percent of you have a Smoke Alarm in your home, 20% do not work due to worn or missing batteries- this means nearly 19 million homes are at needless risk nationwide! A working Smoke Alarm and Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarm can provide the critical extra seconds people need to escape a tragedy. Over 6,000 deaths occur in house fires each year. Most people die from smoke and toxic gases rather than the fire itself. The peak time for home fatalities is between 10PM and 6AM, when most families are sleeping. As fall and cooler weather approaches and everyone is busy with activities, testing and maintenance of these warning devices are forgotten! This is the time to protect your family from the tragedy of fire and CO poisoning by putting new batteries in your alarms!
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Fire Escape Plans
Planning is the key to a fast and safe exit from a fire. Once your smoke alarm has been activated you may have less than 2 minutes to escape. Do it today, don't wait until a fire occurs.

Start by drawing a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room; especially the sleeping areas. If you live in a two story house, you may want to invest in a fire safety ladder, available at most hardware stores.

Remember to set up a meeting place outside your home for everyone to report to after they have gotten out
(a tree, basketball goal the mailbox, etc.)

Practice your escape plan! Have a fire drill just like your children do in school. Make it as realistic as possible. Pretend the lights are out and the house is filling up with smoke. Remember to stay low and crawl under the smoke, touching the doors with the backs of your hand to check for heat before opening the door. Remember not to open a hot door! Go to another exit instead.

If you live in an apartment, use the stairs where necessary and never use an elevator, as it may get stuck between floors or worse take you to the floor of the fire.

Last, but not least, be prepared. Make sure everyone in your family understands the escape route and knows what to do. Remember, get out first then call 911 at a neighbor's house. Never go back into a burning structure once you have escaped!
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Safe Use & Selection of KEROSENE HEATERS
Heating bills have continued to be a source of frustration and sometimes hardships for many individuals. In an effort to resolve that problem, some consumers are turning to alternative heating methods such as wood burning stoves, electric space heaters, and kerosene heaters.

Kerosene heaters have been around for many years the newer models are more economical, portable and safer to use. Despite their improvement, fires caused by kerosene heaters continue. Most fires are caused by improper use of the heater by the consumer.

When selecting a kerosene heater:
Heat Output: Portable kerosene heaters are not designed to heat the whole house, usually one or two rooms. Read the instructions
Safety Listing: Confirm the heater has been tested by one of the major safety laboratories, such as UL for safety features
New/Used Heaters: Second hand heaters or used heaters may have safety features compromised. The owners manual or operating instructions are essential to understand the proper use. Other points to consider: checking the condition of the tip-over switch, fuel gauge, ignition system, fuel tank and the general overall condition of the appliance.
Safety Features: Does the heater have its own igniter or do you have to use matches, is the heater equipped with an automatic shutoff.

Proper Use:
Always follow the manufacturer's instructions, pay particular attention to the ventilation information. Heaters should never be left burning overnight or while sleeping. There is potential for adverse health effects caused by pollutants produced by unvented heaters. If dizziness, drowsiness, or respiratory irritation occurs, shut off the heater at once and move to fresh air. and call 9-1-1. Install a carbon monoxide alarm in your home.

Place the heater no closer than 3 feet to combustible materials such as drapes, furniture, or wall coverings. Keep doorways clear, a heater should not block your escape. Keep children and pets away from the heater while it is operating. Some heater surfaces can reach temperatures of several hundred degrees under normal operating conditions.

Refueling the heater
Careless refueling is another cause of kerosene heater fires. Never refuel heaters while they are hot. To prevent a refueling fire and unnecessary injuries: Refuel the heater outdoors and only after it has cooled & Refuel the heater to only 90% full.

Keep 1-K kerosene in a container clearly marked KEROSENE. The container should be a distinctive color, either blue or white to distinguish the container from the familiar red gasoline container. Never put fuel in a container that has been used for gasoline or any other liquid. Many serious fires have occurred as a result of accidentally contaminating the kerosene fuel with gasoline. Store your container safely, in a cool dry place and out of the reach of children. Never store the container near a heat source or inside your home.

If you have a fire Sound the alarm, get everyone out of the house. Call the fire department from your cell phone or a neighbors house. Never try to go back into a burning house for any reason. Fighting the fire yourself is dangerous, fire injuries and deaths involving kerosene heaters have occurred because an individual attempted to fight the fire or move a burning heater outside. TOP^

Carbon Monoxide Warning
The Pleasant Garden Fire Department is issuing a warning to all Pleasant Garden residents on the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO). Deaths have occurred as a result of CO poisoning.  The tragedy was a result of a vehicle left running in the attached garage.

CO is a colorless, odorless gas.  Because you can't see, taste, or smell it, CO can kill you before you know it's there. Recent studies conducted by Iowa State University indicate that cold car engines running in an attached garage, even for a short period of time (as little as one to two minutes) can raise CO to dangerous levels in a home. These extremely high levels of CO have the potential to harm occupants.

CO is a byproduct of incomplete combustion of fossil fuels such as natural gas, oil, wood or coal.  Some common causes of carbon monoxide poisoning include:
   - malfunctioning appliances
   - furnaces
   - stoves
   - ovens
   - water heaters
   - blocked chimney flues
   - fuel burning cooking appliances
   - charcoal grills
   - motor vehicles.

Symptoms may include flu-like symptoms such as:
   - headaches
   - nausea
   - fatigue and tiredness
   - dizziness
   - confusion
   - breathing difficulties.

Young and old are particularly at risk, but everyone is at risk.

The Pleasant Garden Fire Department recommends the following steps to reduce the chances of carbon monoxide poisoning:
   - Purchase and install CO alarms in your home!
   - Place a CO alarm on each level of your home and in areas near appliances that are potential sources of CO.
   - Have a qualified professional check all fuel burning appliances, furnaces, venting and chimney systems at least once a year or as recommended by the manufacturer.
   - Never leave a motor vehicle running in an attached garage or carport where CO may enter your home.

Everyone is at risk for CO poisoning.  The Pleasant Garden Fire Department encourages every resident to take steps to protect themselves from this "silent killer".
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Home Inspection
One of the best ways to prevent fire in the home is to do a home inspection specifically looking for the fire hazards or preparing for emergency measures in case of a fire. Inspect your home one section at a time:

Kitchen
All electrical appliances and tools should have a testing agency label. Have the appliances repaired if they aren't working right. If an appliance gets wet, have it serviced.

• Check the cords on all appliances. If they are worn or frayed, have them repaired.
• Don't overload the outlets.
• Make sure appliance cords are kept on the counter to prevent them from being pulled down by young children.
• Don't store things over the stove. People get burned while reaching.
• Turn pot handles so children can't pull them down.
• Wear tight sleeves when cooking. Loose-fitting garments can catch fire.
• Check to see if curtains or towel racks are close to the stove.
• Check to see if the stove and oven are clean of grease and oil.
• Be sure a fire extinguisher is placed in the kitchen. The Phoenix Fire Department recommends a minimum 2A10BC extinguisher.
• All cleaning products and other chemicals should be stored out of the reach of young children, not under the sink. Cleaning products and other chemicals also should be stored separately from foods.
• Be sure microwave ovens have room to "breathe," all the vents are cleared of obstructions.

Living room or family room

• Be sure portable space heaters are at least three feet away from anything that can catch fire including walls and curtains.
• Use a metal or glass fireplace screen. Have the chimney checked and cleaned regularly.
• Put lighters and matches where small children won't find them.
• Too small or too full ashtrays are no good. Ashtrays should be large, deep and emptied frequently, but only when all signs of heat and burning are gone.
• Before going to bed, look under cushions for burning cigarettes. Check carpeting where ashtrays have been used.
• Allow plenty of air space around the TV and stereo to prevent overheating. If these appliances are not working correctly, be sure to have them repaired. In the meantime, unplug them.
• Check for worn or frayed extension cords or other electrical cords.
• Extension cords should not run under rugs and carpets or be looped over nails or other sharp objects that could cause them to fray.
• Check for overloaded outlets or extension cords.
• Electrical sockets should be covered with a child-proof fitting.
• Lamp and light fixtures should be used with bulbs with wattage at or below maximum prescribed by the manufacturer.

Bathroom

• Check for overloaded extension cords and outlets.
• Don't place or use any appliances near water.
• Make sure all medicines and cosmetics are kept out of the reach of small children. Install safety latches on drawers, cupboards and medicine cabinets if the home has small children.
• Dump old or outdated medicine into the toilet.

Bedrooms

• Smoke detectors should be tested regularly to be sure they are functioning correctly.
• Have a working flashlight next to each bed.
• Again, check for overloaded outlets, extension cords and heaters that are too close to combustible items.
• Each member of the family should know what to do in the event of a fire.
• Do all family members know the fire escape plan?
• Plan two escapes from each bedroom in case of a fire.
• If you smoke, DO NOT smoke in bed.

Basement, Garage and Storage

• Store gasoline and other flammables in tight metal containers. Don't use flammable liquids near heat, a pilot light or while smoking.
• Have heating equipment checked yearly.
• Clean up workbench.
• If a fuse blows, find the problem. Be sure to replace a fuse with one the correct size.
• Don't store things near the furnace or heater.
• Get rid of stored newspaper or other rubbish. Newspapers stored in a damp, warm place may ignite spontaneously.
• Oily, greasy rags should be kept in labeled and sealed non-glass containers, preferably metal.
• Keep all chemicals, paints, etc. in their original containers.
• Set your water heater at 130 degrees Fahrenheit.

Outdoors

• Is your roof fire retardant? Roofing material, whether it is asphalt shingle, shake shingle, tile or slate can be treated with fire retardant processes.
• Don't ever use gasoline on a grill. Once the fire has been started, never use lighter fluid or gasoline. Use dry kindling to revive the fire.
• Move the lawnmower away from gasoline fumes before starting. Allow the engine to cool before refueling.
• Install a lightning protection system.
• Don't store more of anything than is needed.
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Child Passenger Safety

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