Install and Maintain Smoke Detectors

If functioning properly, smoke detectors warn you of fire in time to let you escape. Install them on each level of your home and outside of each sleeping area. Follow the manufacturer's directions, and test once a week. Replace batteries twice a year (such as during daylight savings time changes), or when the detector chirps to signal that the battery is dead. Don't ever take the battery out for other uses!

Take Care in the Kitchen

Keep cooking areas clear of all materials that could catch fire, such as paper towels, dishcloths, etc., and don't leave cooking unattended. Put a box of baking soda and a large pot lid near your stove, to help with smothering fires. If grease catches fire, carefully slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames, then turn off the burner. Get a fire extinguisher for your kitchen and learn how to use it. Keep your pot's handles turned inward so children won't knock or pull them over the edge of the stove.

Store Flammable Liquids Appropriately

Do not keep flammable liquids (cleaning fluids, contact adhesives, aerosols, etc.) near stoves or other heat sources. Keep them in a safe, distant location. Only store gasoline and other fuels in approved containers or tanks. Gasoline should only be stored at room temperature, and away from heat or ignition sources. Gasoline vapors are heavier than air and can travel along the floor to ignition sources. Therefore, appliance pilot lights or igniters should be kept more than 50 feet from where gasoline is stored or handled, and elevated. It's best to store gasoline outdoors where there is better ventilation, or separate from the main house such as in a shed.

Use Electricity Safely

Check all your electrical cords, and replace any that are cracked or frayed. If you use extension cords, replace any that are cracked or frayed; and don't nail them to floors or walls, put them under rugs, or overload them. If an appliance smokes or begins to smell unusual, unplug it immediately and have it repaired. Remember that fuses and circuit breakers protect you from fire: don't tamper with the fuse box or use fuses of an improper size.

Space Heaters Need space

Read the manufacturer instructions! Portable space heaters should be at least 3 feet (1 meter) from paper, curtains, furniture, clothing, bedding, or anything else that can burn. Never leave heaters on when you leave home or go to bed, and keep children and pets well away from them.

STOP, DROP, AND ROLL

Everyone should know this rule: if your clothes catch fire, don't run! Stop where you are, drop to the ground, and roll over and over to smother the flames. Cover your face with your hands to protect your face and lungs.

Crawl Low Under Smoke

If in bed and you smell smoke, roll onto the floor. Feel doorways to make sure they are cool, before opening them. If you encounter smoke using your primary exit, use your alternate route instead. If you must exit through smoke, clean air will be several inches off the floor. Get down on your hands and knees, and crawl to the nearest safe exit.

Plan and Practice Your Escape

If fire breaks out in your home, you must get out fast. With your family, plan two ways out of every room. Fire escape routes must not include elevators, which might take you right to the fire! Choose a meeting place outside where everyone should gather. Once you are out, stay out! Have the whole family practice the escape plan at least twice a year.

A Match is a Tool for Adults

In the hands of a child, matches or lighters are extremely dangerous. Store them up high where kids can't reach them, preferably in a locked cabinet. And teach your children from the start that matches and lighters and lighters are tools for adults, not toys for kids. If children find matches, they should tell an adult immediately.

Cool a Burn

If someone gets burned, immediately place the wound in cool water for 10 to 15 minutes to ease the pain. Do not use butter on a burn, as this could prolong the heat and further damage the skin. If burn blisters or chars, see a doctor immediately.

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