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City of Woodbury
8301 Valley Creek Road Woodbury, MN 55125 (651) 714-3500 |
 
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Tips for Fire Safety
1. Install fire protection
Smoke alarms are your best early warning system
in the event of fire. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home,
including the basement, and outside each sleeping area. If you sleep with
the door closed, install one inside your sleeping area as well.
Test alarms every month and replace batteries once a year, or whenever an alarm "chirps" to signal low battery power. Never "borrow" a smoke alarm's battery for another use - a disabled alarm can't save your life. Replace all alarms that are more than 10 years old. For complete home protection, consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system.
2. Plan your escape from fire
More than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires, and approximately 20,000 are injured. Deaths resulting from failed emergency escapes are particularly avoidable. Having a sound escape plan will greatly reduce fire deaths and protect you and your family's safety if a fire occurs.
Sit down with your family and work out an escape plan in advance. Be sure that everyone knows at least two unobstructed exits - including windows - from every room. (If you live in an apartment building, use the stairs, not the elevators to escape from the fire.) Decide on a meeting place outside where everyone will meet after they escape. Have your entire household practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
If a fire does occur in your home, you have to get out fast.
Crawl low under smoke
If you encounter smoke while you are escaping from a fire, use an alternative escape route. If you must escape through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees, keeping your head 12 to 14 inches above the floor, where the air will be cleaner.
3. Keep an eye on smokers
Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths in North America.
Smoking in bed or when you are drowsy could be fatal. Provide smokers
with large, deep, non-tip ashtrays, and soak butts with water before discarding
them. Before going to sleep or leaving home after someone has been smoking,
check under cushions and around upholstered furniture for smoldering cigarettes.
4. Remember: matches and lighters are tools, for adults only
Use only child-resistant lighters and store all matches and lighters
up high, where kids can't see or reach them, preferably in a locked cabinet.
Teach children that matches and lighters are tools, for grown-ups only.
Teach young children to tell a grown-up if they find matches or lighters;
older children should bring matches and lighters to an adult immediately.
5. Use candles safely
Candles cause an estimated 15,600 fires in residential structures, 150 deaths, 1,270 injuries, and $539 million in estimated direct property damage each year. Follow safety guidelines when using candles, such as never leave a burning candle unattended and keep all candles out of the reach of children and pets. Learn more about using candles safely at the U.S. Fire Administration's Web site.
6. Cook safely
Many families gather in the kitchen to spend time together, but it can be one of the most hazardous rooms in the house if you don't practice safe cooking behaviors. Cooking equipment, most often a range or stove top, is the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries in the United States. Cooking equipment is also the leading cause of unreported fires and associated injuries.
Always stay near cooking to monitor it closely. Keep cooking areas clear of combustibles, and wear clothes with short, rolled-up, or tight-fitting sleeves when you cook. Turn pot handles inward on the stove where you can't bump them and children can't grab them. Enforce a "kid-free" zone three feet around your kitchen range. If grease catches fire in a pan, slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames and turn off the heat source. Leave the lid on until the pan is completely cool.
Click here to learn more tips about cooking fire safety.
7. Give space heaters space
Keep portable heaters and space heaters at least 3 feet away from
anything that can burn. Keep children and pets away from heaters, and
turn them off when you leave home or go to sleep.
8. Use electricity safely
If an electric appliance smokes or has an unusual smell, unplug it
immediately, then have it serviced before using it again. Replace any electrical
cord that is cracked or frayed. Plug only one electrical cord into each
receptacle. Avoid running cords under rugs. Don't tamper with your fuse
box or use improper-size fuses. Read about more electrical safety tips at the U.S. Fire Administration's Web site.
9. Cool a burn
Run cool water over a burn for 10 to 15 minutes. Never apply ice.
Never put butter or any other grease on a burn. If the burned skin blisters
or is charred, see a doctor immediately.
10. Stop, drop, and roll
If your clothes catch fire, don't run. Stop where you are, drop to
the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll over and over to
smother the flames. Cool the burn with water and call for help.
Contact us at fire@ci.woodbury.mn.us with any questions or concerns or by calling (651) 714-3600.