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FIRE PREVENTION WEEK
OCTOBER 5-11, 2008
CAL FIRE responds to over 300,000 emergencies and calls for service each year. Over 5,000 of these emergencies are fires inside homes and other buildings. “Each year hundreds of people have died in home fires in California,” said Chief Ruben Grijalva, director of CAL FIRE. “What is so tragic is that many of these fires are easily preventable when residents take simple steps.”
The Temecula Fire Prevention Bureau encourages all citizens to check their homes for fire hazards. Cooking, smoking, heating and electrical are the four major causes of home fires. Here are some tips to help prevent home fires:
Cooking: Turn off the stove-top when leaving the kitchen. Use extra care when broiling or frying food. Do not use the stove-top or oven for storage. Never allow children to cook or use the microwave without supervision.
Smoking: Always smoke outside. Use deep ashtrays and water to extinguish cigarettes. Never smoke near bedding or upholstered furniture.
Heating: Keep all combustible items at least three feet away from heating equipment. Never leave a fire unattended. Have chimneys and furnaces inspected annually. Allow at least three feet of clearance around space heaters. Always turn off space heaters when leaving the room or going to sleep. Never use an oven to heat a home.
Electrical: Repair work should be done by a qualified electrician. Use extension cords only for short-term use. Replace damaged electrical cords and never run them across walkways or under carpeting.
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Test each smoke alarm and replace the batteries twice a year. Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half.
Candles should not be burned in sleeping areas. Always extinguish candles when leaving a room.
Click here to take an online fire safety quiz
Fast Facts About Fire from the National Fire Protection Association
Fire Safety Fun for Kids:
Sparky's Fire Inspection Checklist
Draw a Home Fire Escape Plan
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