Tulsa World: Family fun: Fire safety

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Family fun: Fire safety

Photo by Joe Iverson

By KIM BROWN World Scene Writer
Published: 11/2/2009 2:22 AM
Last Modified: 11/2/2009 9:41 AM

Don't burn: 10 tips to keep your home safe

Fall is when the Home Safety Council focuses on preventing house fires. The group says that fires and burns lead to more than 3,400 fatalities every year.

Every home obviously needs a smoke detector, but a well-rehearsed fire escape plan for your family is another good idea.

Here are more tips on home fire safety from the Washington, D.C.-based Home Safety Council:

Put smoke alarms inside or near every bedroom. Test them monthly to make sure they work and put new batteries in them once a year.

Make a fire escape plan for your family. Find two exits out of every room. Pick a meeting place outside, then have a family fire drill at least twice a year.

Always stay in the kitchen while cooking — it takes only seconds for a disaster to strike.

Keep grills at least 10 feet away from the house, shrubs or bushes.

Attend to a burned skin area with cool water and seek medical attention for serious burns .

Only light candles when an adult is in the room. Do not allow children to keep candles or incense in their rooms.

Store matches and lighters in a locked cabinet.

Learn how — and teach your older children and teens — to use a fire extinguisher .

Space heaters need space. Keep them at least 3 feet away from things that can burn, such as curtains or stacks of

newspaper. Always turn off heaters when leaving the room or going to bed.

It is best not to keep any gasoline at home. If you must keep some, use a special safety container and store it in a shed away from your home.

For more tips, visit tulsaworld.com/homesafetycouncil .

By KIM BROWN World Scene Writer

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