Special to the WJH ATLANTA — During Fire Prevention Week, Oct. 4-10, the American Red Cross of Georgia offers steps residents can take to help prevent fires in their homes and keep loved ones safe.
• FIRST: STEPS TO HELP KEEP YOU SAFE ─ check out the first 10 steps below to learn what you should do: HAVE A PLAN — You may have less than two minutes to escape from a burning home. Draw up a household fire escape plan and practice it twice a year.
∞ Everyone in your household should know two ways to escape from each room in your home.
∞ Decide where to meet once you get outside. Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as a neighbor’s home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone knows to meet.
∞ Get out and stay out. Never go back inside for people, pets or things.
∞ Time your fire drill and find out how long it took everyone to get out.
∞ If a fire starts in your home, get out safely, then dial 911.
SMOKE ALARMS SAVE LIVES — Smoke alarms can cut your risk of dying in a fire nearly in half.
∞ Place smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas.
∞ In addition to testing your alarms once a month, change the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it.
∞ Check the manufacturer’s date of your smoke alarms. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
∞ Identify two exits from every room.
∞ Teach children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.
• SECOND – STEPS TO HELP PREVENT A
FIRE ─ steps 11 through 20 focus on things you can do to lessen the chance of a fire in your home: BE SAFE IN THE KITCHEN — Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. Follow these five steps to help you avoid a cooking fire: ∞ Never leave cooking food unattended. Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.
∞ Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
∞ Keep kids away from cooking areas by enforcing a 'kid-free zone' of three feet around the stove.
∞ Keep anything that can catch on fire ─ pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains ─ away from your stove top and oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.
∞ Purchase a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen.
• HEAT YOUR HOME SAFELY — Home heating equipment is the second leading cause of home fires.
∞ Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
∞ Never leave a fire burning in the fireplace unattended. Make sure any embers in the fireplace are extinguished before going to bed or leaving home. Use a glass or metal fire screen to keep embers in the fireplace.
∞ Space heaters: It's critical to keep at least three feet of space around all heating equipment, and never leave space heaters unattended.
∞ If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface, such as a ceramic tile floor. Don’t place it on rugs and carpets, or near bedding and drapes. And keep children and pets away from the heater.
∞ Plug space heater power cords directly into outlets — never an extension cord. Turn it off every time you leave the room or go to sleep.
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