Home Fire Safety Tips

Protect You and Your Family with the Home Fire Safety Checklist

These Are Simple Changes That Could Save Your Life

Change Your Smoke Detector Batteries
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and fire experts nationwide encourage people to change smoke detector batteries at least twice annually. An easy way to remember to change your batteries is when you turn your clock back in the fall and forward in the spring. Replace old batteries with fresh, high quality alkaline batteries, to keep your smoke detector going year-long.
Check Your Smoke Detectors
After inserting a fresh battery in your smoke detector, check to make sure the smoke detector itself is working by pushing the safety test button.
Count Your Smoke Detectors
Install at least one smoke detector on every level of your home, including the basement and family room and, most important, inside all bedrooms.
Vacuum Your Smoke Detectors
Each month, clean your smoke detectors of dust and cobwebs to ensure their sensitivity.
Change Your Flashlight Batteries
To make sure your emergency flashlights work when you need them, use high-quality alkaline batteries. Note: Keep a working flashlight near your bed, in the kitchen, basement and family room, and use it to signal for help in the event of a fire.
Install Fire Extinguishers
Install a fire extinguisher in or near your kitchen and know how to use it. Should you need to purchase one, the IAFC recommends a multi-or all-purpose fire extinguisher that is listed by an accredited testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratory.
Plan and Practice Your Escape
Create at least two different escape routes and practice them with the entire family. Children are at double the risk of dying in a home fire because they often become scared and confused during fires. Make sure your children understand that a smoke detector signals a home fire and that they recognize its alarm.
Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and your local fire department urge you to adopt a simple, potentially lifesaving habit: change the batteries in your smoke detector when you change your clocks back to standard time in the fall and daylight savings time in the spring.
Consider The Following:
- Each day, an average of three children die in home fires - 1,100 children each year. About 3,600 children are injured in house fires each year. 90 percent of child fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke detectors.
- Although smoke detectors are in 92 percent of American homes, nearly one-third don't work because of old or missing batteries.
- A working smoke detector reduces the risk of dying in a home fire by nearly half.

For Seasonal Advice, See our Winter Safety Tips

Refer to our Home Fire Safety Checklist for more prevention help.

For more information contact:

Chattanooga Fire Department
Fire Prevention Section
910 Wisdom Street
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37406
(423) 697-1418 (voice)
(423) 697-1441 (fax)

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Primary Development and Author of this site:
Gary R. Anderson
Lt./CFD

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Most recent revision Tuesday, July 1st, 1997