Housekeeping Hazards

• Do you keep matches away from sources of heat such as kitchen ranges or heaters?

• Do you make sure matches and smoking materials are out before disposing of them?

• Do you have plenty of large noncombustible ashtrays in every room?

• Is "No Smoking in Bed" a rule in your home?

• Are all members of your family careful never to smoke when working around flammable liquids?

• Do you keep your basement, closets, and attic cleared of old rags, papers, mattresses, broken furniture and other combustible odds and ends?

• After using oily polishing rags or waste, do you destroy them or place them in metal cans? 

• If you store paint, varnish, etc. do you keep the containers tightly closed?

• Has everyone in your family been warned never to use gasoline, benzene or other flammable fluids for cleaning clothes, furnishings, appliances, floors, or anything else indoors?

• Do you allow only qualified electricians to install or extend your wiring?

• Are there enough electrical outlets in every room to avoid the need for multiple attachment plugs and long extension cords?

• Are all extension and appliance cords checked frequently to make sure they are not worn or frayed, and are loose prongs or plugs checked and replaced?

• Do you buy only appliances and electrical equipment that are labeled by Underwriters Laboratories?

• Are all electrical cords in the open - not run under rugs, through doorways or partitions, or over hooks, radiators, heaters, pipes, or ducts?

• Do you keep your yard cleared of leaves, debris and combustible rubbish?

• Have weeds, dry leaves and rubbish been cleared off any surrounding property?

• Is gasoline stored in a strong, metal safety-type can with self closing lids on the openings, and labeled by a nationally recognized lab such as Underwriter labs or Factory Mutual?

• Is gas stored in a well ventilated area away from ignition sources-preferably in a garage or tool shed?

• If your garage is attached to the house, is is separated by a tight-fitting door which is kept closed?

Special For Parents

• Do you keep matches & lighters out of reach of children & teach the older kids how to use them safely?

• Do you leave a responsible person with your children when you go out, even for a little while?

• When you employ baby-sitters, do you instruct them carefully on what to do in case of fire?

• Important: A child learns by example as well as by instruction. In regard to fire safety, do you always set a good example?

• Are all children (0 - 14) provided with flame-retardant sleepwear?

• Have you taught your children the recommended procedure to use for extinguishing clothes on fire

DO NOT RUN
STOP - DROP - AND ROLL

• If you use candles or oil burning lamps, do you make sure that they and their holders are in good condition before each use & they are located away from combustible materials?

• Does your family refrain from using highly flammable aerosols around open flames or while smoking?

• If any members of your family are disabled or handicapped, have special measures been taken to assure they are warned of fire & assisted in their escape?

• Do you have a well equipped first-aid kit which is easily accessible?

• Are you satisfied that your home is safe from fire for you and your family?

• Before the heating season begins, do you have your heating system inspected and serviced?

• Are all flue pipes, vent connectors, gas vents and chimneys inspected each fall; cleaned and repaired?

• Is your wood stove properly installed and protected against igniting nearby combustibles including the floor, walls and ceiling?

• Is every fireplace equipped with sturdy metal fire screens?

• Is your portable heater kept away from stairways or doorways where someone might accidentally trip or fall on it or knock it over?

• Do you always turn off portable or gas heaters when you go to bed?

• Since gas and oil heaters use up oxygen as they burn, do you always keep a window slightly open in any room where such a heater is being used?

• Do you see that every portable heater is placed well away from curtains, bedding, furniture, and other combustible materials?

• Has everyone in your family been warned never to use gasoline, kerosene or other flammable liquids to start a fire in the kitchen, range, fireplace, furnace or charcoal grill?

• Are charcoal grills always used outside to prevent toxic gases and vapors produced by the charcoal from building up to dangerous levels?

• Does your family know that when grease, fat, lard, or cooking oil over-heats, it will smoke just before catching fire, and the heat should be turned down?

• If a grease, fat, lard, or cooking oil fire starts on your stove, does your family know not to use water to put it out, but to either smother the fire by covering the pot with a lid or to use a dry chemical type extinguisher?

• Does your family know that a fire in the oven of your stove can be extinguished by closing the oven door and turning off the heat, or by using a dry chemical type extinguisher?

• Is your kitchen range, including the oven and broiler kept clean of grease?

• Are curtains near kitchen ranges and heating equipment arranged so as not to blow over them?

• has everyone been told the hazard of wearing loose fitting shirts, blouses, pajamas, robes, etc. near a kitchen range where they could be ignited by the burners?

• Are your over-counter wooden cabinets at least 2 1/2 feet from the stove top or 2 feet from a metal vent hood?

• Does your family's everyday cooking habits include not leaving food unattended and keeping pot handles turned in form the stove's edge?

• Are cookies, cereal, or other "bait" stored away from the stove to prevent children from getting burned trying to reach such items overhead?

• Do you have at least one fire extinguisher that is listed or approved by a nationally recognized fire testing lab for use on all types of fires?

• Have all fire extinguishers been checked and/or recharged according to instructions on the name plate?

• Do you know how to operate the extinguisher (s) and are the fire extinguishers in a convenient location for quick and easy use?