Prevent home fires from happening by sharing these tips.
Cooking Safety
- Maintain a cooking area that is free of anything that can catch fire like pot holders, towels, plastic, and clothing.
- Have someone stay in the kitchen when there is frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food.
- Turn pot handles towards the back of the stove when cooking.
Electrical Safety
- Replace or repair damaged or loose electrical cords.
- Keep extension cords clear of doorways and above carpets.
- Plug only one high-wattage appliance into each receptacle outlet at a time to prevent overloading.
Heating Safety
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
- Create a three-foot “kidfree zone” around open fires and space heaters.
- Annually, have a qualified professional clean and inspect heating equipment and chimneys.
Educate Your Children
- Keep fire, matches, and lighters out of reach of children.
- Teach them what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.
- Establish a meeting place outside so that in the event of a fire they will know where to go.
The U.S. Fire Administration’s Kids Fire Page is a fun web site for kids that teaches important lessons about fire safety through games. The site is a good way to talk about fire with your kids.
Click Here to Download the Maine Association of REALTORS® Fire Prevention PDF