FIRE PREVENTION IN THE HOME

Fire can grow and spread very fast. In a typical home fire you may have as little as two minutes to escape once the smoke alarm sounds. Each year fire kills more than 3,500 people and injures tens of thousands more in the United States. Children ages five and under are twice as likely to die in a fire as the rest of the population.

Home fire escape planning and practice can make a critical difference for your entire family. By developing and practicing a home fire escape plan, your family will know exactly what to do in a fire so everyone can escape quickly and safely.

1. Because the majority of fatal fires happen at night, it is essential to have working alarms throughout your home to awaken or alert you in case of fire. Count all the smoke alarms in your home; make sure to have at least one on each level and in or near all sleeping areas. Test the alarms every month by pushing the test button, and replace the batteries once a year or when the alarm chirps, warning that the battery is low.

2. Draw a floor plan of your home. You'll need two ways out of every room. One way out would be the door, and the second way out may be a window. Consider purchasing a home fire escape ladder for bedrooms located on second and third floors - review the manufacturer's instructions carefully to be able to use a safety ladder for an emergency escape from a window. Practice setting up the ladder from a first floor window to make sure you can do it correctly and quickly.

3. Choose an outside meeting place with your family. Make sure it's a safe distance from your home and mark it on the escape plan. Practice having all members of your household report immediately to your outside meeting place during fire drills.

4. Everyone should memorize the local fire department's emergency phone number, which should be contacted from a neighbor's phone, or by using a nearby portable or cell phone you bring with you as you exit your home.

5. After you make your plan, practice it! Fire escape plans should be practiced at least twice a year. Pick a date with your family to practice -- make sure that everyone is involved - from kids to grandparents. If there are infants or family members with mobility limitations, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them. Be fully prepared for a real fire: when a smoke alarm sounds, get out immediately. And once you're out, stay out!

If you live in an apartment building, make sure that you're familiar with the building's evacuation plan. In case of a fire, use the stairs, never the elevator. In some cases, the safest action when a fire alarm sounds may be to stay inside your apartment and protect yourself from smoke until the fire department arrives. Seal all doors and vents with duct tape or towels to prevent smoke from entering the room. Open a window at the top and bottom so fresh air can enter. Be ready to close the window immediately if it draws smoke into the room. Call the fire department and let them know that you are still inside the building. Wave a flashlight or light colored cloth at the window to let the fire department know where you are located.

Smoke and heat rise, so during a fire there's cleaner, cooler air near the floor. Teach your children to always try their second exit if they encounter smoke when escaping from a fire. But, if they need to go through smoke to get outside, teach them to stay in their "safety zone" by crawling on their hands and knees with their head 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 centimeters) above the floor.

Pretend a blanket is smoke and have children practice "crawl low under smoke" to get outside. Remind them to stay in their "safety zone" until they get outside to the family's meeting place.

Visit Escape with the Miller Family for a step-by-step guide to home fire escape planning and practice. Also, check out NFPA's Sparky the Fire Dog® Web site for more fire safety information and activities for your children.

Following is basic cooking, heating, and electrical advice to help you and your family avoid these highly preventable home fires:

Always keep a close eye on cooking food. And never leave cooking food unattended on the stove top.

Keep children and pets away from cooking areas: declare a three-foot "safe zone" around the stove. Mark the area with masking tape to remind younger children.

Space heaters should be at least three feet (one meter) away from walls and draperies, furniture, or anything that can burn.

Portable space heaters should be turned off every time you leave the room or go to bed.

Receptacle outlets should have plastic safety covers in homes with small children.