10 Fire Safety Tips

1. Install smoke alarms in every room of your home and check the batteries every six months. Functioning smoke alarms reduce your risk of dying in a home fire by nearly 50 percent. You may also choose to install carbon monoxide detectors for extra protection.
2. Keep portable space heaters at least three feet away from children, pets and flammable objects such as bedding, curtains or furniture.
3. Turn off heaters, blow out candles and extinguish fireplaces before leaving the room and before going to sleep. Unattended fires and heating devices account for the majority of home fires.
4. Burn only seasoned hardwood in your fireplace to reduce the creosote buildup in your chimney. Place a mesh screen in front of your fireplace to prevent flying sparks and embers from escaping.
5. Keep candles at least 12 inches away from flammable objects. Place candles in sturdy containers that won’t easily knock over. Never leave a lit candle unattended.
6. Never leave cooking food unattended, particularly on a stovetop. Keep flammable objects, like dish towels, away from heated appliances at all times.
7. Learn how to use a fire extinguisher by remembering the acronym PASS. Pull the pin, aim the nozzle at the base of the fire, squeeze the handle and sweep the nozzle back and forth until the fire is put out.
8. Create an emergency fire escape plan with your family that has at least two ways to exit your home. Plan a meeting place outside and assign roles for responsibilities associated with collecting infants, pets and pre-packed emergency supply kits. Run through a drill at least once a year.
9. Teach your children exit techniques in case of a fire. Practice feeling door knobs for emanating heat before opening doors and getting low to avoid smoke inhalation.
10. If a fire is too big to extinguish yourself or if you feel uncomfortable trying, immediately vacate the house and call 911. Stuff can be replaced; you and your family cannot. 

Fire safety is just one piece of home security. Call Gordon Insurance for more information on home insurance.