• Keep items that can catch on fire at least three feet away from anything that gets hot, such as space heaters.
• Never smoke in bed.
• Talk to children regularly about the dangers of fire, matches and lighters and keep them out of reach.
• Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep.

Cooking Safely

• Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• Stay in the home while simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food.
• Check food regularly and use a timer to remind you that food is cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire, such as pot holders, towels, plastic and clothing, away from the stove.
• Keep pets off cooking surfaces and countertops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner.

Carbon Monoxide

• Install carbon monoxide alarms in central locations on every level of your home and outside sleeping areas.
• If the carbon monoxide alarm sounds, move quickly to a fresh air location outdoors or by an open window or door.
• Never use a generator, grill, camp stove or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning devices inside a home, garage, basement, crawlspace or any partially enclosed area.

Practice Fire Safety at Home

Smoke Alarms

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.
• Teach children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.
• Once a month check whether each alarm in the home is working properly by pushing the test button.
• Replace batteries in smoke alarms at least once a year.
• Immediately install a new battery if an alarm chirps, warning the battery is low.
• Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years. Never disable smoke or carbon monoxide alarms.
• Carbon monoxide alarms are not substitutes for smoke alarms. Know the difference between the sound of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.

Fire Escape Planning

• Ensure that all household members know two ways to escape from every room of your home.
• Make sure everyone knows where to meet outside in case of fire.
• Practice escaping from your home at least twice a year and at different times of the day. Practice waking up to smoke alarms, low crawling and meeting outside. Make sure everyone knows how to call 9-1-1.
• Teach household members to STOP, DROP and ROLL if their clothes should catch on fire.

In Case of Fire

Remember to GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency phone number.

• If closed doors or handles are warm, use your second way out.
• Never open doors that are warm to the touch.
• Crawl low under smoke.
• Go to your outside meeting place and then call for help.
• If smoke, heat or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with doors closed. Place a wet towel under the door and call the fire department or 9-1-1. Open a window and wave a brightly colored cloth or flashlight to signal for help.