Published: October 08, 2009 08:59 pm      

Fire safety

Prevention is the best key to avoid fire tragedies

Those who know more about the subject than anyone else say that keeping your home fire-safe is the best way to prevent one type of tragedy that we must report far too often.

“Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned” is what the Cumberland Fire Department emphasizes.

Home fires and the resulting injuries claim about 3,000 lives each year and send more than 200,000 to hospital emergency rooms.

“Keeping our homes safe from fire and preventing devastating burn injuries is a healthy change we can make happen,” said Cumberland Fire Chief Bill Herbaugh.

Many of these preventive measures involve our children:

Have a 3-foot “kid-free” zone around the stove; never leave a child alone in a room where there are lighted candles, fire places or stoves, or where there are portable heaters or hot appliances; and install tamper-resistant receptacles to prevent children from sticking objects into electrical outlets.

Never hold a child in your arms when preparing hot food or drinking hot coffee, tea or other such beverages, and wear short or close-fitting sleeves when cooking.

Install working smoke alarms on every level inside and outside of sleeping areas, and change the batteries at regular intervals; even six months is not too often.

In case the worst does happen, know ahead of time how you will escape if fire breaks out. Have at least two ways out of each room and establish a family meeting place outside the home. Don’t take time to safe your belongings; just get out and help the others get out. Move fast, but stay calm.

It’s good to have fire extinguishers in your kitchens, workshops, furnace rooms and other places where fires can break out. Have them inspected periodically and replaced or refilled if necessary.

And most importantly: Call 911 first, then fight the fire.