Madera County Fire, Company 11 |
North Fork Fire Department |
Seasonal Home Fire Safety TipsEach season presents its own unique home fire safety concerns.
In winter, you depend heavily on your heating appliances. Remember: · Keep your furnace clean and check that the pilot light is working. · If you use a space heater, keep it away from combustible materials. · Make sure the wiring is sound. · Have all alternate heating sources such as a wood stove examined by an expert to make sure they are functioning properly. · Do not use the oven for heating. · Clean and check fireplaces and chimneys regularly.
A holiday Christmas tree is a source of joy; but if you're not careful, it can also lead to a fire. Remember: · Buy a tree whose needles haven't dried out. · Place the tree away from any heat source such as a space heater or fireplace. · Keep the tree away from exits. · Buy consumer-inspected Christmas tree lights, and do not overload the circuit with wiring. · Turn off the tree lights when you go to bed; never leave them on when you're not home. · Discard the tree as soon as the holidays are over, and even sooner if it starts to dry out.
Summer is the time for outdoor barbecues; and it's also a time that places heavy demands on appliances that cool the house. Remember: · When using window air conditioning units, take care not to overload circuitry. · Have the units serviced by a technician at the beginning of the season. · When barbecuing, keep charcoal burners at a safe distance from the house and from anything else that's combustible. · Avoid using high-flame charcoal burning fluids. · Don't wear loose-fitting clothing while cooking any time of the year.
Install and Maintain Smoke Detectors! · Install a smoke detector on each level of your home and outside of each sleeping area. · Follow the manufacturers directions, test the unit once a week. · Replace the batteries twice a year, remember to change your batteries when you change your clock for daylight savings time. · Don’t ever take out your battery for other uses! |