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Self Inspection Checklist
Did You Know?
Survival Tips
How Safe Is Your
Home?
Each year, over 4,000 Americans perish and more than 20,000 others suffer
serious injuries because of residential fires.
Dear Valued Citizen:
Please take a few moments to complete the self-inspection checklist
listed on this page. While some items might not apply to your household,
any items you answer “NO” could represent a potential hazard
in your home that should be corrected. If you answer “YES”
to all of the items, we congratulate you on your personal fire prevention
efforts! Thank you for your time and for your interest in fire safety.
Home Self-Inspection
Checklist
YES/NO All of my family members know to dial
9-1-1 in an emergency.
YES/NO Every sleeping area
and each level of my home is equipped with a working smoke detector.
YES/NO My house numbers can be seen
from the street by emergency responders.
YES/NO Household chemicals, matches,
and cigarette lighters are stored out of reach of children.
YES/NO Gasoline is kept in an approved
safety container, preferably stored in a locked garage or storage shed.
YES/NO Electrical cords are not damaged
and are properly used.
YES/NO I have a fire extinguisher in
my kitchen and know how to use it.
YES/NO No combustible materials are
stored near cooking areas or heating appliances.
YES/NO My fireplace is equipped with
a proper screen and fireplace ashes are properly disposed of.
YES/NO The lint collector on my clothes
dryer is inspected and cleaned before each use.
YES/NO I generally practice good housekeeping
habits in keeping work areas, the garage, heater closets, etc. free
of potential fire hazards.
YES/NO My kitchen vent-a-hood is clean
and properly maintained.
YES/NO I test my smoke detectors once
a month.
YES/NO I change the batteries in my
smoke detectors every year, or sooner if necessary.
YES/NO Paints, thinners, and other
flammable liquids are stored in their original containers, well away
from heat, sparks, or flame.
YES/NO I never leave cooking food unattended.
YES/NO I never smoke when drowsy or
when in bed.
YES/NO Each room in my home has
two clear exits.
YES/NO My family developed and practices
an Emergency Escape Plan.
Did You Know.........
most fire fatalities and injuries in the U.S. occur in the victim’s
own home?
two-thirds of all home-fire victims die of smoke inhalation, poisonous
gases, or lack of oxygen; not severe burns?
cooking is the leading cause of all residential fires and fire injuries?
heating equipment is the second leading cause of residential fires?
more than 40% of fatal home cooking fires occur while the victims are
asleep?
careless use of smoking materials is the leading cause of residential
fires that result in death?
Survival Tips
Make sure
your family has an escape plan. Contact the Fire Prevention office or
your neighborhood fire station for more information on developing a
plan.
Sleep with the bedroom door closed. Closed doors provide protection
against heat and smoke.
Teach everyone in your household to recognize the sound of your smoke
alarm.
Test doors before opening them. You can easily be overcome by heat,
smoke or flames when you open a door to an area where a fire has spread.
Use windows as alternate exits.
Crawl low under smoke. During a fire, super heated air and toxic gases
fill the room from the top down. This leaves a “safety zone”
of breathable air about 12 to 24 inches above the floor.
Call 9-1-1. Unless you are trapped inside, it’s too dangerous
to call from a burning home. Once you have escaped and reported to your
meeting place, call 9-1-1 on a neighbor’s telephone.
If your clothes catch on fire: Stop, Drop, and Roll.
Learn
Not To Burn! Fire Smart = Fire Safe!!!
Fire destroys more property and claims more lives
annually than any natural disaster. It is also the most preventable
disaster.
Please help us reduce the senseless loss of property
and lives in our community by making a conscious effort to maintain
a home free of fire hazards. Share this information with relatives and
friends. Remember, fire prevention begins with education.
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