Home Fire Safety

Home fires are a very real, but very preventable danger. It is important to be aware of the risk of fire in your home so that you can take practical steps to prevent fires and be prepared in case one occurs. The most common causes of fire in the home are cooking, heating equipment, electrical equipment, and clothes dryers. Ensure you have an early warning of danger in your home with proper placement and maintenance of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. If a small fire does start, keep it small by having and knowing how to use a fire extinguisher.

Use the information on this page to protect your home from fire. Want to learn more? The City of Poway Fire Department offers an educational Home Fire Safety Workshop each year in October. Registration is required through the Fall Community Services Guide or at the Community Services office in City Hall.

Protect Your Home

You do not need a flame to start a fire. Fires can start when heat builds up near things that burn. This can happen when a hot light bulb is near things that burn, such as cloth or paper, or a cord has been placed under a carpet. Protect yourself and your family by being aware of the most common causes of home fires, taking steps to prevent those circumstances from occurring, and being prepared to react quickly if a fire were to occur.

Cooking Safety

Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
Keep pot handles turned inward, away from the hands of young children.
Keep anything that can catch fire - oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains - away from your stovetop.
Keep appliances cleat, a buildup of dirt or grease can catch fire easily.

If you have a small grease cooking fire and decide to fight the fire, smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. For an oven or microwave fire, turn off the heat source and close the door. If you have any doubt about fighting the fire, leave the house and call 9-1-1 from outside the home.

Heating Safety

Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment.
When purchasing a portable heater, choose one with the seal of a qualified testing laboratory, with a thermostat and overheat protection, and with auto shut-off when it tips over.
Plug portable heaters directly into the wall outlet, never use an extension cord. Remember to turn heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
Never use your oven to heat your home.
Ensure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container.
Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.

Electrical Safety

Check the condition of electrical cords, do not use cords that are damaged or frayed.
Check electrical cords to make sure they are not running across doorways or under carpets.
Do not overload electrical outlets. Only use one heat-producing appliance per outlet at a time.
Use a light bulb with the right number of watts. There should be a sticker that indicates the right number of watts.
Call a qualified electrician if you have frequent blown fuses, discolored or warm wall outlets, a burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance, flickering or dimming lights, or sparks from an outlet.

Clothes Dryer Safety

Clean the lint filter before or after each load of laundry. Remove any lint that has collected around the drum.
Make sure the air exhaust vent pipe is not restricted. Clean lint out of the vent pipe annually.
Follow the manufacturers operating instructions and don't overload your dryer.
Keep the area around your dryer clear of things that can burn like boxes, cleaning supplies, and clothing.

Sounds of Safety

Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms save lives by providing an early warning of danger in the home. Make sure everyone in the home understands the sounds of the smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and knows how to respond.

Smoke Detectors

Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every level of the home. Closing bedroom doors at night can help save lives by slowing the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.
Smoke alarms should be placed on the ceiling or high on the wall.
Test all smoke alarms once a month and change the batteries twice a year when you change your clocks.
If you have individuals in your home with access and functional needs, utilize smoke alarms with strobe lights or a bed shaker.
Replace smoke alarms when they are ten years old.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms

Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, colorless gas created when fuels burn incompletely. In the home, heating and cooking equipment that burns fuel can be sources of carbon monoxide.
Install alarms in a central location outside sleeping areas and have at least one alarm on each level of the home.
Install alarms in or near the garage and 15 feet from fuel-burning appliances and fireplaces.

Carbon Monoxide Safety

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, poisonous gas. It is produced by incomplete combustion of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels. Carbon monoxide is an invisible killer because you can't see it, smell it, or taste it. It can sneak up on you without you even knowing it and for this reason it is very dangerous.

Never use gas appliances such as ranges, ovens, or clothes dryers for heating your home.
Never burn charcoal or use portable fuel-burning camping equipment inside a home, garage, vehicle or tent.
Never operate non-vented fuel burning appliances in any room with closed doors or windows in any room where people are sleeping.
Do not use gasoline-powered tools or engines indoors.
Never leave a car running in an attached garage, even with the garage door open.
Make sure appliances are installed according to manufacturer's instructions and local building codes. Have heating systems, including chimneys and vents, inspected annually.

Fire Extinguisher

Being prepared to handle small fires with a fire extinguisher can help prevent property damage, injury, and loss of life. It is recommended that a fire extinguisher be stored on every level of the home and in high-risk areas like the kitchen and the garage.

Types of Fire Extinguishers

Fire extinguishers come in many shapes and sizes. In addition to traditional fire extinguishers, homeowners should consider fire extinguishing spray cans and fire extinguishing blankets. When purchasing a fire extinguisher, read the classification label to understand how it can be used.

There are five classes of fire extinguishers:

Class A - for use with ordinary materials like cloth, wood and paper.
Class B - for use with combustible and flammable liquids like grease, gasoline, oil and oil-based paints.
Class C - for use with electrical equipment like appliances, tools or other equipment that is plugged into an outlet. Extinguishing material does not conduct electricity.
Class D - for use with flammable metals.
Class K - for use with vegetable oils, animal oils, and fats in commercial cooking appliances.

Most residential fire extinguishers are multi-class A, B, and C to extinguish the most common of household fires. Residential fire extinguishers come in all shapes and sizes including spray cans and fire blankets. Find the fire extinguisher that meets the needs of your family and lifestyle.

Using a Fire Extinguisher - P.A.S.S.

If a fire starts in your home, take immediate action. Only attempt to extinguish fires that are small enough to be put out.

Position yourself, with the fire extinguisher, between the fire and an exit. Always leave yourself a way out.
Stand six to eight feet from the fire and use the P.A.S.S. method:
- PULL the pin in the handle of the fire extinguisher.
- AIM the nozzle of the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire, not at the top of the flames.
- SQUEEZE the trigger slowly and evenly.
- SWEEP the extinguisher from side to side to cover the base of the fire.

If the fire does not go all the way out or becomes too large to extinguish, evacuate immediately and call 9-1-1 from outside the home.