How to Improve Fire Safety in Your Home

Cook safely

Cooking mishaps are a common cause of residential structure fires.

• Keep handles on pots and pans turned towards the back of the stove.
• Keep the area around cooking appliances free of items that could catch fire.
• Do NOT attempt to extinguish a grease fire with water or discharge a fire extinguisher into a burning pot or pan- this will spread the fire.
• Turn off all burners and cover the pot with a lid, if safe to do so.
• For fires in microwaves or ovens, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
• Call 911 even if the fire appears to be out.

Take precautions when you use any heating source

• Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids to kindle or revive a fire. Flammable vapors can easily travel the length of a room.
• To keep sparks from flying and igniting clothes or furniture, use glass doors or a screen that wrap fully around the fireplace/woodstove opening. A fireproof hearth rug is also a good idea. Wear tight-fitting clothing when working with the fire; avoid balloon or draping sleeves.
• Keep children safely away from fireplaces, woodstoves, furnaces and space heaters.
• Be sure ashes have cooled thoroughly before you dispose of them. Place ashes in a sealed metal container way from the house.

Use candles cautiously

Candles can unintentionally cause fires through the emission of burning wax or igniting nearby combustibles.

• Never leave burning candles unattended.
• Consider switching to flameless or battery-powered candles. They are a much safer alternative!

Smoke wisely

• Never smoke indoors.
• Confirm extinguishment of smoking materials by dousing with water or extinguishing with sand.
• Never dispose of smoking materials in mulch, bark, saw dust, trash cans, potted plants, or other combustible areas.

Maintain a safe household electrical system

•  Avoid overloading outlets and prolonged use of extension cords.
• Make sure your home is equipped with GFCI outlets where required.
• Have frequently tripped breakers or blown fuses evaluated by a professional.

Make sure your chimney is in good condition

 It's easy to forget about your chimney's condition and its importance to the safety of your home. A chimney blockage can fill your home with deadly fumes, and a chimney fire, too, can spell disaster. Visit the Chimney Safety Institute of America's website for more information about chimney hazards and how to keep yours in good condition.

• Annual chimney inspections provide early detection of problems that could cause fires, carbon monoxide poisoning or structural deterioration. Check the fireplace annually to be sure vents, flues and chimneys are in good working order, and to identify and structural damage.
• Cleaning of chimneys and fuel-burning appliance vents needs to be carried out whenever measurable deposits of creosote or other combustible materials are detected. Have ash and creosote build-up professionally removed, or do it yourself. 
• Indications of a chimney fire have been described as creating:
  • loud cracking and popping noise
  • a lot of dense smoke, and
  • an intense, hot smell
• If a chimney fire has occurred, extreme heat may have caused damage that cannot be seen with the naked eye. An inspection of the entire chimney, both interior and exterior, is the only way to ensure safe use in the future. 

Prepare and practice for fire emergencies

• Install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
• Teach children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.
• Create an escape plan and incorporate a safe meeting place for your family to gather.

Make an escape plan

 Practice escaping from your home at least twice a year and make sure all family members know their address and how to dial 911.

• Install smoke alarms throughout the home; all levels of home.
• Test the alarms every month by pushing the test button.
• Use a family planning grid to draw a floor plan of your home, marking all windows and doors. Be sure to include every household member in the creation of the plan.
• Locate two escape routes from each room. The first way out would be the door and the second way out could be a window.
• Choose a meeting place outside, a safe distance from the front of your home and mark it on the floor plan. Example: a tree, telephone pole, mailbox, or neighbor's home.
• Make sure your home has large address numbers on the front, and also place an address sign at the top of long driveways.
• Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.

Use fireworks safely

 The Consumer Product Safety Commission, National Council on Fireworks Safety, and the City of Walla Walla offer the following safety tips. Visit our Fireworks page for more information about when fireworks may be legally used and what types of fireworks are permitted.

• Always read and follow label directions.
• Have an adult present.
• Buy fireworks from reliable sellers.
• Ignite fireworks outdoors.
• Have water handy.
• Never experiment or attempt to make your own fireworks.
• Light one at a time.
• Never re-ignite malfunctioning fireworks.
• Never give fireworks to small children.
• Store fireworks in a cool, dry place.
• Dispose of fireworks properly.
• Never throw fireworks at another person.
• Never carry fireworks in your pocket.
• Never shoot fireworks in metal or glass containers.