Check Your Heating System
There are a few things homeowners can do to ensure their heating systems are well maintained and safe to use:
🔄 Regularly replace furnace filters.
🚫 Keep areas around your furnace free of clutter and combustible material. Never set items on top of your furnace.
↔ Keep combustible materials a safe distance from vent/exhaust lines.
🤳 If you notice any issues with your home heating system, contact a professional immediately. Certified HVAC contractors often offer preventative care services that include cleaning that reduce fire risk but have the added benefit of reducing utility costs.
Fireplace Safety
Modern and older fireplaces have a way of collecting dirt and debris over their lifetimes. It's important to keep fireplaces clear of debris and schedule annual inspections before use. If your home is equipped with a gas fireplace, have all the lines and connections inspected before use.
In addition to these recommendations, here are a few other helpful tips:
🛑 Fireplace screens, guards, or glass doors are helpful safety devices to keep hot ash and sparks contained inside the fireplace.
↔ Spare wood, and other combustibles should be stored at least five feet away from the fireplace.
🚫 Do not overload a fireplace.
🚫 Never leave a fire unattended.
🌲 Burn seasoned hardwoods that have been stored in a safe and dry environment for at least six months.
Halloween
Don't let fire hazards put a damper on your Halloween fun.
🎃 Use glow sticks or battery-operated candles for jack-o'-lanterns and other decor.
🚫 Don't choose costumes with long, trailing fabric.
👦 Teach kids to stay way from open flames.
↔ Keep decor away from open flames/other heat sources.
🚪 Keep exits clear of decorations.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home cooking fires.
Stay safe:
🥘 Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop.
🍗 Stay in the home when cooking the turkey, and check on it frequently.
↔ Keep children at least 3 feet away from the stove.
✋ Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids to avoid burns.
🔌 Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
☝ Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.
🕯 Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle.
🧸 Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, purses or bags.
👉 Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
Half of all home heating fires happen in December, January, and February. Christmas is the peak day for candle fires.
Here are tips to stay safe:
🧹 Have a professional clean and inspect your chimney and vents each year.
🔌 Plug space heaters directly into an outlet; never use an extension cord.
💨 Install carbon monoxide alarms and test them at least once per month.
🔌 Only plug one heat-producing appliance into an outlet at a time
↔ Store cooled ashes in a tightly covered metal container at least 10 feet from your home/nearby buildings.
💡 Use light bulbs that match the recommended wattage of the light fixture.
Holiday Safety
🕎 Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn.
🎄 Keep trees at least three feet from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, candles, and heat vents.
👋 Get rid of your Christmas tree after the holiday or when it's dry.
✨ Read string light instructions and throw away any strands that are worn or damaged.
Spring Cleaning
While spring cleaning, tackle some common fire hazards:
🔌 Discontinue electrical appliances with frayed cords
🚫 Make sure cords don't extend under rugs or other flammable materials
👀 Inspect your dryer's lint traps and exhaust ducts for debris
🍂 Remove dead leaves/other flammable debris from foundations, under decks, porches, and stairs
👉 Test smoke alarms
⛽ Make sure gasoline is only stored in containers sold for that purpose
🚫 Never bring gasoline indoors; keep gasoline containers in a detached garage or outdoor shed
🚫 Don't store oily rags in a pile; take them outside to dry — well away from structures
🧼 Put dragged oily rags in a tightly covered metal container; fill with a water and detergent solution to break down oils
🚪 Keep containers of oily rags in a cool place, out of direct sunlight and away from other heat sources, and check with your town for info on how to properly dispose of them
Burning
🔥 Only burn yard debris or use fire pits when permitted by local ordinances
🚫 Don't burn during dry/windy weather
Grilling
From 2014-18, fire departments responded to an average of 8.9 thousand home fires involving grills, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Stay safe by following these tips:
🚫🚶♂️ Never leave a grill unattended
🌳 Only use grills outdoors
🐜 Check grill for rust, insects, spiders, grease, and other debris before use
🧼 Clean grease and fat buildup before using
↔ Place grill away from your home, deck railings, eaves, and overhanging branches
🕵️♀️ Check gas tank hose for leaks before using grill for the first time each year
👧🐶 Keep kids and pets at least 3 feet from grill area
⬆ Always open gas lid before lighting it
Fireworks
Fireworks cause thousands of injuries and fires each year.
Sparklers cause injuries to young children because they burn at 1,200 degrees.
✋ The best protection is not to use fireworks at home, period. The U.S. Fire Administration recommends leaving the lighting to professionals
If you do decide to use fireworks, always follow the instructions and follow these tips to reduce your risk:
🚫 Never place a part of your body directly over a fireworks device
⬅ Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting
🚫 Don't try to re-light or pick up a firework that hasn't fully ignited
🚫 Never point or throw fireworks at someone else
💦 Keep a bucket of water or garden hose nearby
☝ Light them off one at a time
🚫 Never carry fireworks in a pocket
🚫 Never shoot them off in a metal or glass container
🚿 Douse spent devices with water before discarding
⚖ Know your local fireworks laws; make sure they're legal before buying or using
🚫 Never let young kids play with or ignite fireworks
🚫 Avoid fireworks packaged in brown paper (it means they were intended for professional displays)
👩 Always have an adult supervising firework activities
Burning
🔥 Only burn yard debris or use fire pits when permitted by local ordinances
🚫 Don't burn during dry/windy weather
Grilling
July is the top month for grill fires, with about half of all injuries being thermal burns.
Stay safe by following these tips:
🚫🚶♂️ Never leave a grill unattended
🌳 Only use grills outdoors
🐜 Check grill for rust, insects, spiders, grease, and other debris before use
🧼 Clean grease and fat buildup before using
↔ Place grill away from your home, deck railings, eaves, and overhanging branches
🕵️♀️ Check gas tank hose for leaks before using grill for the first time each year
👧🐶 Keep kids and pets at least 3 feet from grill area
⬆ Always open gas lid before lighting it