Electrical Safety

• All electrical cords should be in good condition and not frayed or cut
• Keep appliances dry and away from water at all times
• Make sure all outlets have outlet covers that children can’t remove

Fire Safety

• Battery-powered candles are now available and are safe to use
• Have at least one fire extinguisher in the home and learn how and when to use it
• Have a professional check and clean furnaces, chimneys and wood burning stoves annually
• Make a fire escape plan with your family, ensuring everyone has two ways out of their bedroom and there is a meeting place outside of the home. Practice it at least twice a year
• Never leave candles unattended or on low surfaces where a child can reach and burn themselves or start a fire
• Space heaters need space-allow at least three feet of clearance around a space heater. Turn it off when leaving the room or going to sleep
• Store candles, matches and lighters out of sight of children in a locked cabinet
• Teach how to stop, drop, cover your face and roll if your clothes catch on fire

Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors

• Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless deadly gas that can kill you or your family and is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States. It is present in low levels in the air and is formed from incomplete combustion from any flame-fueled devices, including furnaces, clothes dryers, fireplaces, water heaters, ovens and vehicles.
• Install a CO detector on every floor of your home, preferably near sleeping areas.

Install Smoke Detectors

• Do not place smoke detectors in kitchens or garages, where fumes from cooking and cars, may set them off.
• If your smoke detectors are more than 10 years old, replace them.
• Make sure the smoke detectors you buy are safety tested by a laboratory-these will have letters on the box such as: UL, ETL or CSA.
• Make sure there is a smoke detector on every floor in your home, especially where there are bedrooms. If feasible, put a smoke detector inside of every bedroom.
• Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors save lives. Studies have shown that when working smoke detectors are installed, the chances of dying from a fire are cut in half.
• Test the batteries in the detector monthly and plan on replacing them when you change your clocks in the fall or hear a chirping sound.

Kitchen Safety

• Food cooked in the microwave can be very hot. Wear oven mitts when taking off a lid or cover, and always test the food before giving it to children.
• Keep children away from hot stoves and ovens. Turn pot handles in and toward the back of the stove where children can’t reach and pull it down.
• Never leave food unattended on the stove-cooking is the number one cause of home fires. The reason is that people start to cook something on the stove and forget it’s there.