Fire Safety

‘Tis the season for holiday decorations and Christmas lights. Santa will soon be coming down the chimney to deliver presents for the young children in your home. If you are hanging stockings from your working fireplace, be sure to take the utmost care when doing so.

Most Christmas stockings are made from highly flammable materials, so if you are hanging them from your working fireplace, you are risking a fire in your home. If you have a large mantle, it is wise to consider hanging the stockings higher than normal, so they are far away from any flames or sparks that may arise. In general, keep flammable stockings as far away from a fire as possible. As always, use a crate or cage to protect Christmas decorations, rugs, and other flammable materials from sparks or sputtering fires. Christmas is a time of year prone to more home fires because of holiday lights and the abundance of decorations, so be sure to use the utmost caution and care when decorating your home, especially when decorating your mantle!

Did you know that fires in dryer exhaust systems exceed those in chimneys in number, property loss and loss of life?  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that fires can occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct. Lint can block the flow of air, cause excessive heat build-up, and result in a fire in some dryers.  Just last year Consumer Reports stated that more than 13,000 fires a year start in laundry rooms in the United States, resulting in 10 deaths and $97 million in property damage. Nearly 4,000 of these fires arise from lint buildup that occurs when people fail to clean their dryer vents.  Have your dryer exhaust system service regularly by a CSIA Certified Technician.

To help prevent fires:

• Clean the lint screen/filter before or after drying each load of clothes. If clothing is still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle or drying requires longer times than normal, this may be a sign that the lint screen or the exhaust duct is blocked.
• Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct periodically. Check the outside dryer vent while the dryer is operating to make sure exhaust air is escaping. If it is not, the vent or the exhaust duct may be blocked. To remove a blockage in the exhaust path, it may be necessary to disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer. Remember to reconnect the ducting to the dryer and outside vent before using the dryer again.
• Clean behind the dryer, where lint can build up. Have a qualified service person clean the interior of the dryer chassis periodically to minimize the amount of lint accumulation. Keep the area around the dryer clean and free of clutter.
• Replace plastic or foil, accordion-type ducting material with rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct. Most manufacturers specify the use of a rigid or corrugated semi-rigid metal duct, which provides maximum airflow. The flexible plastic or foil type duct can more easily trap lint and is more susceptible to kinks or crushing, which can greatly reduce the airflow.
• Take special care when drying clothes that have been soiled with volatile chemicals such as gasoline, cooking oils, cleaning agents, or finishing oils and stains. If possible, wash the clothing more than once to minimize the amount of volatile chemicals on the clothes and, preferably, hang the clothes to dry. If using a dryer, use the lowest heat setting and a drying cycle that has a cool-down period at the end of the cycle. To prevent clothes from igniting after drying, do not leave the dried clothes in the dryer or piled in a laundry basket.

Making a plan and holding regular fire drills will give each household member the confidence and knowledge to act quickly in an emergency. Here then are some tips on developing a family escape plan:

1. Sketch a layout of each floor, including windows, doors, and stairways. Go over the plan with family members and post it in your home as a reminder of all possible exits. Keep the phone number of the Fire Department handy by the phone.
2. Have family members practice different escape routes (at least two per room). Fire drills also teach children that they must escape, not hide from fire.
3. Place one family member in charge of helping the elderly or the very young to escape.
4. Agree on a meeting place outside the home and instruct everyone to go there in case of fire. Discuss why you shouldn’t go back inside once you’re out. (People have died returning to a burning building).

Nearly one-third of home fire victims lost their lives in fires that were smoking-related. If you have a smoker in your home, install a smoke and fire alarm in his or her room and have large, heavy ashtrays placed in various locations.