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Protect Yourself
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Prevention is the best way to keep your home safe from fire. -Use oven mitts and
wear clothes with tight-fitting or rolled-up sleeves when you cook.
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Be Kitchen Wise
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Never leave cooking unattended. Use oven mitts and wear clothes with
tight-fitting or rolled-up sleeves when you cook. Use a timer to remind you to
turn off burners and the oven. Keep stove surfaces free of clutter and built-up
grease. Don't cook if you've been drinking or taking medication that makes you
drowsy.
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Be Smoker Wary
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Provide smokers with large, deep and non-tip ashtrays. Empty ashtrays often,
wetting contents before dumping them into wastebaskets. Never smoke in bed or
while drinking alcohol or while you are on medication that could make you drowsy
or disoriented.
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Give Space Heaters Space
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Keep portable heaters and space heaters at least three feet (one meter) from
everything - including you. Just brushing against one could set your clothing on
fire.
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Install Smoke Detectors
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Be sure to have smoke detectors outside or in all sleeping areas and on every
level of your home, including the basement. Test your smoke detectors monthly
and change their batteries once a year or when the detector is "chirping" which
indicates the battery is low. If you sleep in a room with the doors closed,
install a smoke detector inside the room as well. If you have a hearing
impairment, use tested and approved smoke detectors that trigger a strobe light.
Test your smoke detectors monthly and change their batteries once a year. You
can use a stick, broom handle, ladder or sturdy step stool to reach the
detector. Do not stand on a chair.
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Plan Your Escape!
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Know Two Ways Out
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Plan two escape routes from every room in your home. During a fire, smoke or
flames may block an exit, forcing you to use an alternate escape route.
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Know How to Unlock Doors and Windows
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Windows should open easily and fully to allow escape. All security-barred
windows and doors needed for escape should be equipped with quick-release
devices that every household member can operate. Practice emergency exit drills
to identify and eliminate obstructions.
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Know All Building Exits
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If you live in an apartment building, count the number of doorways between your
apartment and the two nearest exits. During a fire, you may have to escape in
the dark. No matter where you live, be familiar with all exits, including
windows. If you have trouble with stairs, it may be best to sleep on the first
floor.
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If You Are Trapped
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Remain calm. Close all doors between you and the smoke. If there is a phone in
the room, call the fire department and tell the dispatcher where you are
trapped. Call the fire department even if you can see fire trucks through your
window. Stuff rags, towels or clothing in the cracks around doors to keep smoke
out. Wait at a window. Signal the fire fighters by waving a light-colored cloth
or flashlight and wait to be rescued.
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If Fire Strikes
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Knowing how to protect yourself during a fire emergency could save your life.
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Test Doors Before You Open Them
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Kneeling or crouching at the door, reach up as high as you can and touch the
hinge, the knob and the space between the door and its frame with the back of
your hand. If the door is cool, open it cautiously and continue your escape
route. If it is warm, keep the door closed and seek an alternative escape route
or stay in your room.
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Crawl Low Under Smoke
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If you encounter smoke while using your primary exit, use an alternative route.
If you must exit through smoke, crouch or crawl. Heat and smoke rise; cleaner
air will be 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 centimeters) above the floor.
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Get Out and Stay Out
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Leave the building as quickly as you can. Call the fire department from a
neighbor's phone. Do not go back into the building for any reason.
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Stop, Drop, Cover and Roll
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If your clothing catches fire: stop where you are; drop gently to the floor or
ground; cover your face with your hands to protect your face from flames; and
roll over and over to smother the flames. If you cannot drop to the floor,
smother the flames with a blanket or towel.
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Smother a Grease Fire
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If a pan of food catches fire, using a potholder, carefully slide a lid over it
and turn off the burner. Keep lid in place until cool.
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