Protecting Your Home and Family from Fire

Careful planning can often help you avoid loss or injury to your family and property. Follow these fire prevention and safety tips:

• Smoke detectors should be installed on each level of your home and outside every sleeping area. We recommend a professionally installed system that wires all detectors to a central alarm so if a fire occurs in a remote area, the signal can be heard throughout the house. If you opt for battery operated smoke alarms, be sure to check the batteries regularly and replace them semi-annually.
  
  
• Multi-purpose fire extinguishers (type ABC) should be kept in areas accessible to the kitchen, furnace, hot water heater, laundry room and garage. Keep at least one extinguisher on each floor of your home and clearly label each extinguisher with the type of fire it is designed to extinguish.
  
  

• Establish and practice an escape plan with your entire family.
  
  
• Every family member should know two ways out of every room.
  
  
• Everyone should be able to unlock all doors and windows for quick escape.
  
  
• Predetermine a meeting place outside your home.
  
  

• Have your chimney professionally inspected and cleaned at the beginning of each heating season and periodically thereafter, depending on the extent of use. This will clear out soot and creosote that cause puffbacks and chimney fires.
  
  
• Always use a fire screen to control flying embers and burn only seasoned hardwood to reduce the potential for creosote buildup.
  
  
• Ashes should be placed only in a metal container and removed from the house immediately.
  
  
• If you have a wood roof or live in a windy area, you should install a spark arrestor for your chimney.