Fire Safety Tips

 

General Tips - PREFIRE PLANNING

 

• Plan for a fire before it occurs in your household!
• Know how to contact your local fire department and other pertinent emergency numbers.
• Have an escape plan and practice the plan regularly.
• Know how to get out of your residence by at least two means of escape.
• Designate a SAFE meeting place that each member of your family is aware of.
• Purchase smoke detectors and install them on each level of your home and outside of your bedrooms.
• City of Lansing residents can stop by any Lansing Fire Station and receive two smoke detectors, per household free of charge!
• Do not remove the batteries in your detector, test your detector regularly and change the batteries at least once per year.
• Know how your alarm sounds and be able to recognize your audible alarm.
• If you live in a multiple residence building, i.e., an apartment complex, know how to sound your building alarm.

 

What do you do if you have a fire in your residence?

 

• Exit the building immediately!!!
• Close the doors behind you as you exit the building and proceed to the nearest exit. If the smoke is heavy, remember to always crawl low to the ground where the temperature is cooler and the visibility is better.
• Sound the alarm if you have the ability to so and call 911!
• Do not use the elevators in a high-rise building, exit using the stairways.
• Meet at your designated meeting place, until all family members are accounted for.
• Once you are outside of the residence, do not return inside the residence for any reason!!

 

What should you do if you are unable to exit?

 

If you are trapped inside of your residence and/or bedroom:

·        Feel the doors with the back of your hand, prior to opening the door!

1.      If the door is not hot, open the door with caution.

2.      If the door is hot with smoke entering underneath, seal the openings with towels, blankets, etc.

·       Proceed to a window and open the window.

·       If you have the ability to safely exit through the window, exit safely and proceed to your designated meeting place.

·       If you are unable to exit through the window, attempt to signal the rescue personnel.

 

Developing your Escape Plan!

 

·        Create a plan prior to having a real life emergency!!

·        Draw a floor plan of your home and plan two routes of escape from each room in your home.

·        Agree on a meeting place outside your residence, away from the building. Make sure that all members of your household are fully aware of your designated meeting place.

·        Understand the need to advise the fire department upon their arrival that everyone is out of residence.

·        PRACTICE! PRACTICE! – you should practice your escape plan from each designated exit on your plan. Try crawling, turning out the lights, etc.

·        Make sure that each member of your household understands how to unlock and open the doors and windows in your home.

·        BE PREPARED AND PRACTICE!!!!

 

GENERAL HOUSEHOLD TIPS:

 

·        Do not overload electrical outlets in your home.

·        Do not leave appliances such as the stove/oven unattended.

·        Have your appliances that are not working properly serviced by an approved service repair technician.

·        If you have a fireplace, have your chimney inspected and cleaned regularly.

·        Allow the proper amount of space around electrical appliances. This allows for proper air circulation around the appliance, avoiding overheating.

·        Keep all portable heaters away from contact with people and/or combustible materials.

·        Store flammable liquids in approved containers and do not store them inside your residence.

·        Use caution if you are a smoker. Don’t smoke in bed and use caution when emptying your ashtrays.

 

STAY SAFE!!!!