| Fire Safety and Protection | | | | Discuss the best route of escape and where |
| Nearly 3400 people died in 2002 by house fires. | | | | everyone will meet after exiting the house. Make |
| Of those fires 2 out of 3 houses had missing or | | | | sure everyone understands never to go back into |
| not working smoke detectors. | | | | the house for anything. |
| Here are some ways to prevent and protect | | | | To prevent a fire... |
| your house from fire: | | | | - Store matches and lighters out of children's |
| Replace the batteries in the smoke detectors | | | | reach and sight, preferably in a locked cabinet. |
| every year. Many suggest that day-light savings | | | | - Teach toddlers to tell you when they find a |
| weekend is the perfect time to change the | | | | match or a lighter. |
| batteries as you change the time on the clock. | | | | - Never overload curcuits or extension cords. |
| Purchase a fire extinguisher. A residential fire | | | | - Portable heaters need their space. Keep anything |
| extinguisher does not cost a lot of money and | | | | combustible at least three feet away. |
| can be a life saver. | | | | - Keep fire in the fireplace. Use fire screens and |
| Have an escape plan. The same weekend that | | | | have your chimney cleaned annually. The creosote |
| you change the batteries in the smoke detectors, | | | | buildup can ignite a chimney fire that could easily |
| have a family meeting to go over an escape plan. | | | | spread. |