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| In a fire, you can't see anything because of smoke. The smoke will fill a room from the top down. Crawl along the floor to escape. If possible keep a flashlight nearby to help you see. |
| The smoke and gases in a fire can kill you. Have a smoke alarm in all sleeping areas to warn you. Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year. A good plan is to change the batteries twice a year. Make it a habit to change the batteries as you change your clocks. |
| Fire is extremely hot. The coolest air will be along the floor. Crawl along the floor while you escape from a fire and keep your head in the safe zone between 12 to 24 inches from the floor. |
| In the darkness of a fire, it is hard to find your way out. Make an escape plan and practice it with the family. It is a good idea to practice as if it were real. Crawl the escape plan as you would during a real fire |
| Clothes can catch on fire. Stop where you are and drop to the floor, cover your face with your hands and roll quickly from side to side until the flames go out. If you see someone else on fire help them by pushing them to the ground and have them roll. You can also cover them with a wool or cotton blanket to smother the flames |
| Burns need proper treatment. For burns that only involve redness, put the burn area under cool water for at least ten minutes. Call 9-1-1 for burns with blisters, chars or burns that do not hurt. Do not bandage the burn yourself. Never put ice, lotions or butter on any burn |
| Most home fires start between the hours of midnight and 6:00a.m. This is why smoke detectors save lives! |
| Most home fires start in the kitchen. The living room, basement, bedroom and then all other rooms are next in order. This means that most fire where they are likely to block your usual escape route from bedrooms. Plan ahead. Make an escape plan for your home. See our section on how to prepare a Fire Escape Plan |
| Keep your home free of excessive clutter. When trying to escape a fire, the less clutter that you have to move around, the faster the escape. |
| Keep your home free of fire hazards. Check your home on a regular basis for fire hazards such as, extension cords, stacks of paper, etc. See our Fire Safety Checklist for more hazards. |