Working smoke detectors can alert you to a fire in your home in time for you to escape, even if you are sleeping.
Install smoke detectors on every level of your home, including the basement, and outside each sleeping area.
If you sleep with the door closed, install one inside your sleeping as well. Test detectors every month,
following the manufacturer's directions, and replace batteries when you adjust your clocks or whenever a detector
"chirps" to signal low battery power. Never "borrow" a smoke detector's battery for another use, a disabled detector
can't save your life. Replace detectors that are more than 10 years old.
Cook carefully, never leave cooking unattended. Keep cooking areas clear from combustibles, and wear clothes with
short, rolled-up sleeves, or tight-fitting sleeves. Turn pot handles inward on stove where you can't bump them and
children can't grab them. Enforce a "kid-free zone" that is a three feet (one meter) around your kitchen stove.
If grease catches fire in a pan, slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames and turn the heat source off.
Leave the lid on the pan until everything is completely cool.
Use electricity safely. If an electric appliance smokes or has an unusual smell, unplug it immediately, and have it
serviced before using it again. Replace any electrical cords that are cracked or frayed. Don't overload extension
cords or run them under rugs. Don't tamper with fuse boxes or use improperly sized fuses.
Stop, drop, and roll. If your clothes catch fire, don't run. STOP where you are, DROP to the ground, cover your face
with your hands, and ROLL over and over to smother the flames.
Cool a burn. Run cool water over a burn for 10 to 15 minutes. Never apply ice. It is dangerous to put
butter or any other grease on a burn because it seals in the heat and can damage the tissue further. If the burned
skin blisters or is charred, see a doctor immediately.
Give space heaters space. Keep portable space heaters at least 3 feet from everything, including you. Just
brushing against one could set your clothes on fire.
Smother a grease fire. If a pan of food catches fire, carefully slide a lid over it and turn off the burner.
