Fire Safety in Your Home

• Avoid overloading electrical outlets or extension cords
• Inspect electrical cords and replace worn or broken ones
• Repair broken appliances
• Store flammable liquid in a secure spot outside your home
• Install and maintain smoke detectors
• Keep fire extinguishers handy, especially in the kitchen
• Put a collapsible ladder on the upper floor
• Designate fire escape routes, practice fire drills, and make sure your family has a designated meeting place outside
• Consider installing an ADT monitored heat and smoke detectors

Brushfire Safety

• If you live in an area that could experience brushfires, minimize the risk to your home by:
• clearing leaves and debris from guttering
• trimming trees that may overhang your home
• keeping your yard neat and clear of rubbish
• installing a sprinkler system for your garden
• If a fire does threaten your home and you cannot evacuate, saturate the garden, walls, and roof with water, shut all doors and windows, and keep wool blankets and supplies handy
• If you become trapped in your car during a brushfire, stop in a clearing if possible. Do not leave your car! Huddle down on the back-seat floor and cover yourself with a blanket. Wait until the fire passes before proceeding

Fire Escape Planning
There is often very little time between the detection of a fire and the time it becomes deadly. It is thus very important that a family escape plan be developed and rehearsed.

1. Every family member should participate in developing the escape plan.
2. Study the possible escape routes from each location within the house. Since many fires occur at night, special attention should be given to the escape routes from sleeping quarters.
3. Escape from a bedroom must be possible without opening the interior door. Consider the following when making your escape plans:

• Make sure that all perimeter doors and windows are easily opened. Ensure that they are not painted shut, and that their locking mechanisms operate smoothly.
• If opening or using the exit is too difficult for children, the elderly or handicapped, plans for rescue should be developed. This includes making sure that those who are to perform the rescue can promptly hear the fire warning signal.
• If the exit is above the ground level, an approved fire ladder or rope should be provided as well as training in its use.
• Exits on the ground level should be kept clear. Be sure to remove snow from exterior patio doors in winter; outdoor furniture or equipment should not block exits.
• Each person should know of a predetermined assembly point where everyone can be accounted for i.e.: across the street or at a neighbor’s house. Once everyone is out of the building, call the Fire Department.
• A good plan emphasizes quick escape. Do not investigate or attempt to fight the fire, and do not gather belongings or pets as this wastes valuable time, Once outside, do not re-enter the house. Wait for the fire department.
• Write the fire escape plan down and rehearse it frequently so that should an emergency arise, everyone will know what to do. Revise the plan as conditions change, such as the number of people in the home, or if there are changes to the building’s construction.
• Make sure your fire warning system is operational by conducting weekly tests. If you are unsure about system operation, contact your installing dealer.
• We recommend that you contact your local fire department and request further information on fire safety and escape planning. If available, have Your local fire prevention officer conduct an in- house fire safety inspection