August is Fire Prevention Month in Columbus: Everyone should know their fire prevention basics! From safe cooking, candle use, electrical cord hazards, and major appliance care, we all need to know how to prevent fires from starting. Don’t forget to install and service your smoke detectors, too! For all the details, read more.
Cooking is the primary cause of home fires, so take extra care in the kitchen.
- Don’t leave cooking food unattended, even for a short time.
- Move anything that can catch fire—utensils, towels, potholders, and so forth–away from your stove.
Other fire prevention basics:
- Place candles on a sturdy, uncluttered spot and keep them at least 12 inches from anything that catch on fire.
- Use flashlights, not candles, during power outages.
- If your pipes freeze, don’t thaw them with a torch.
- Plug appliances—refrigerators, dryers, and stoves, for example—directly into outlets and not into extension cords.
- Don’t run electrical cords under carpets or across doorways.
- Have your furnace inspected and serviced by a professional, rather than taking a do-it-yourself approach.
- Develop and practice an escape plan and establish an outdoor meeting spot for your family. Identify two ways to get out of each room, if possible.
- Install and test smoke detectors. For those with hearing difficulties, install detectors with alternate alerts, such as strobe lights or those that vibrate. For more information, see www.lifetonesafety.com, www.safeawake.com, and www.silentcall.com.
