• Keep fire extinguishers handy
• Design a fire escape plan
• Learn first aid for burns
• Keep matches away from children
• Practice home fire drills
• Check smoke detectors regularly
• NEVER smoke in bed
• Know two exists from every room
• Teach STOP, DROP and ROLL
• Post emergency numbers by every phone
• Store flammable liquids properly
• Set your hot water heater to 120 degrees F
• Crawl low in smoke
• Replace damaged electrical cords

• Determine at least two ways to escape from every room in your home.
• If you must use an escape ladder, be sure everyone knows how to use it.
• Select a location outside your home where everyone would meet after escaping.
• Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
• Once you are out, stay out!

• If you see smoke in your first escape route, use your second way out.
  If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to escape.
• If you are escaping through a closed door, feel the door before
  opening it. If it is hot use your second way out.
• If smoke, heat or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with
  the door closed. Signal for help using a bright colored cloth at the window. If there is a telephone in the room, call the fire department
  and tell them where you are.

Learning basic fire prevention facts and taking simple precautions can make all of your holiday celebrations safe and memorable.

Fireworks:

• Check to be sure local laws permit private fireworks celebrations
• Adults should supervise the use of fireworks
• Sparks and smoldering embers from fireworks can start fires. Have water nearby for emergencies.
• Never use fireworks in neighborhood backyards or other crowded areas.
• Always light fireworks one at a time.

• Keep grills a safe distance from houses and overhangs.
• Use only properly labeled starter fluid, never substitute gasoline or kerosene.
• Never apply fire starter to a smoldering fire. Instead, add dry kindling and blow gently across the coals.
• Never leave outdoor cooking unattended.

• Costumes and decorations should only be made of flame-retardant materials. Avoid loose, flammable clothing.
• Each mask, wig and costume must be easily seen at night.
• Use battery-powered lights for jack-o-lanterns, not candles.
• Keep decorations away from sources of heat, such as exposed bulbs and open flames.

• Start holiday cooking with a clean stove and oven
• Keep kitchen clutter and loose clothing away from the stove. s heat.
• Turn pot handles in, away from a child. s reach.
• Use pot holders to prevent burns.
• NEVER throw water on a grease fire. Instead, cover the burning pan with a lid.
• Keep all appliances in good working order.
• Never overload electrical outlets. Unplug appliances when not in use.
• NEVER leave cooking food unattended.
• Keep Thanksgiving decorations away from sources of direct heat.

• Make sure your Christmas tree is fresh. Shedding needles is a sign
  of a dry tree.
• Keep your tree fresh by placing it in a stand that holds water.
• Make sure artificial trees are flame-retardant.
• NEVER smoke around the tree or flammable decorations.
• Place trees away from direct sources of heat.
• NEVER place a tree so that it blocks an exit.
• Only buy electric lights that are approved by a national testing lab.
• NEVER decorate metal trees with electric lights.
• Always unplug lights before going to bed.
• NEVER run electrical cords through doorways and under rugs.
• Keep candles in sturdy holders and never place them near combustibles, such as curtains.
• Avoid hanging stockings near an open flame.
• NEVER burn paper in a fireplace. This is a major cause of chimney fires.

• At a party, check to be sure the exits are clear.
• NEVER let friends drink excessively. Alcohol affects judgement and coordination.
• Check under furniture and cushions for smoldering cigarettes.
• Follow safety guidelines when using fireworks. Better yet, attend a public display operated by professionals.