Keeping Your Home Safe Fireplace Safety

If your home has one or more fireplaces, special precautions can help to keep home fires burning safely.
· Protect against sparks by enclosing a fireplace’s opening with glass doors or a sturdy screen.
· Never close the flu while the fire is smoldering. Carbon monoxide could build up.
· Never use gasoline, kerosene or lighter fluid to start a fire. Burn only dry seasoned hardwood.
· Have your fireplace and chimney inspected annually. They should be properly vented and free of blockages. Have it cleaned as needed.
· Teach children to stay back from the fireplace.

· Protect the top of your chimney with a guard that keeps out birds and small animals and keeps in sparks that could ignite your roof.
· Keep flammables such as newspapers, magazines, rugs and carpeting well away from the fireplace.
· Remove holiday decorations from the fireplace and mantle before building a fire.
· Never leave a fire unattended.
· Keep a fire extinguisher handy.

Smoke detectors greatly increase the likelihood you will survive a fire. Place at least one on each floor of your home and outside each sleeping
area. Install detectors inside bedrooms for added protection. Mount detectors on the ceiling at least 4 inched away from the wall. Test detectors monthly and replace batteries once per year. Replace smoke detectors every ten years.

If caught in a fire remember fumes overcome most victims long before flames reach them. Use your safest exit. If you must escape through smoke, get down and crawl low under the smoke, keeping you head about 12-24 inches off the floor. If you have not gotten around to conducting a family fire drill, now is the time to do it. Invest in a few fire extinguishers. Extinguishers are classified as to the type of fire they will put out. You will find the classification displayed on the fire extinguisher. A Class ABC extinguisher is multi-purpose and works well against any small, self contained fire. Contact your local fire department to ask about training. If a fire does break out, take immediate action. The smoke and flames spread rapidly. Get out of the house right away