Fire and Life Safety Information

Home safety checklist

Home escape planning grid

Hints and Tips
Candle safety
Children and fire
Cooking safety
Fire safety for the blind and hearing impaired
Heating safety
Smoking materials and fire safety
Fire extinguisher purchase
Smoke detector disposal

Candle Safety

• Extinguish candles when leaving the room or going to sleep.
• Keep candles away from clothing, books and curtains.
• Use candle holders that are sturdy and won't tip over.
• Keep candles away from flammable liquids.
• Keep candle wicks trimmed to one-quarter inch.
• During power outages, avoid carrying a lit candle. Use flashlights.

• Store matches and lighters out of children's reach, up high, in a locked cabinet.
• Use lighters that are child-resistant features.
• Teach young children to tell an adult if they see matches or lighters, and teach school-age children to bring any matches or lighters to an adult.
• If you suspect your child is intentionally setting fires or fascinated with fire, get help. Appleton Fire Department offers a fire stoppers program for young people. 

• Always use cooking equipment tested and approved by a recognized testing facility.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Keep cooking areas clean and clear of combustibles (e.g. potholders, towels, rags, drapes and food packaging).
• Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a “kid-free zone” of three feet around the stove. 
• Keep pets from underfoot so you do not trip while cooking. Also, keep pets off cooking surfaces and nearby countertops to prevent them from knocking things onto burner.
• Wear short, close fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners and catch fire.
• Never use a wet oven mitt. It presents a scald danger if the moisture in the mitt is heated.
• Always keep a potholder, oven mitt and lid handy. If a small fire starts in a pan on the stove, put on an oven mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Never pour water on a grease fire and never discharge a fire extinguisher onto a pan fire. It can spray or shoot burning grease around the kitchen, spreading the fire.
• If there is an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you and your clothing.
• If there is a microwave fire, keep the door closed and unplug it. Call the fire department and make sure to have the oven serviced before you use it again. Food cooked in a microwave can be dangerously hot. Remove the lids or other coverings from microwaved food carefully to prevent steam burns. 

Fire Safety for the Blind or Hearing Impaired

• Install a smoke alarm that uses a flashing light, vibration and/or sound to alert people to a fire emergency.
• Be sure that the smoke alarm carries the label of an independent testing laboratory.
• Keep a communications device nearby. If a TTY/TTD device is used, place it close to the bed so that communication with emergency personnel is possible.

• When buying a new unit, make sure that a qualified technician installs it or checks that the unit has been installed properly.
• Have a professional inspect/clean units every year.
• When burning wood in fireplaces or wood stoves, it is important to use properly seasoned wood. The U.S. Department of Energy cautions that green wood has more moisture and is likely to smolder, leading to more creosote build-up.
• Keep space heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn.
• Fuel portable kerosene heaters in a well-ventilated area away from flames or other heat sources.
• Choose heaters with automatic shutoff features.
• Make sure any gas-fueled heating device is adequately ventilated. Unventilated gas space heaters in bedrooms or bathrooms must be small and well-mounted. Never use liquefied-petroleum gas heaters with self-contained fuel supplies in the home.
• Turn off portable space heaters every time you leave a room or go to bed.
• Allow ashes to cool before disposing. Dispose ashes in a metal container.

• Encourage smokers to smoke outside.
• Keep smoking materials away from anything that can burn (e.g., mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, draperies, etc.).
• Never smoke in bed or when you are drowsy, intoxicated or medicated.
• Use large, deep, non-tip ashtrays to prevent ashes from spilling onto furniture and check them frequently. Do not rest ashtrays on sofas or chairs.
• Completely douse butts and ashes with water before throwing them away. They can smolder in the trash and cause a fire.
• Smoking should not be allowed in a home where oxygen is in use.
• If you smoke, choose fire-safe cigarettes. They are less likely to cause fires.

Source: National Fire Protection Association 

Fire Extinguisher Purchase
There are basically four different types or classes of fire extinguishers, each of which extinguishes specific types of fire. Newer fire extinguishers use a picture/labeling system to designate which types of fires they are to be used on. The most common household fire extinguisher is the ABC type.

• Class A Extinguishers will put out fires in ordinary combustibles, such as wood and paper.
  
• Class B Extinguishers should be used on fires involving flammable liquids, such as grease, gasoline, oil, etc.
  
• Class C Extinguishers are suitable for use on electrically energized fires.
  
• Class D Extinguishers are designed for use on flammable metals.

Many extinguishers available today can be used on different types of fires and will be labeled with more than one designator, e.g. A-B, B-C, or A-B-C. Check the labels before purchasing. 

Smoke Detector Disposal
It is legal to dispose of your detector in the trash, however, it is recommended that you return it to the manufacturer. Do not take the detector apart. The entire smoke detector should be returned. The batteries should be removed and properly disposed of. No special shipping is needed. Just place in a box with some paper for padding and send it. Always contact the distributor first. 

There are many manufacturers of smoke detectors. Here are few of the more common manufacturers/distributors:

First Alert: 1-800-392-1395
Nighthawk: 1-800-880-6788
Honeywell: 1-800-328-5111
Kidde: 1-800-880-6788

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