Precautions, planning are needed for fire safety

Cold weather brings the sweaters out of the closet, the leaves off of the trees -- and fires. As people drag out the space heaters or light up the fireplace for the first time this year, simple precautions can make sure the home gets toasty instead of toasted.

"Fireplaces and chimneys should be cleaned and inspected by a professional on an annual basis," said Fire Inspector Brian Nicholson of the Shelbyville Fire Department. "Make sure the fireplace and any other heaters, especially space heaters, are given the proper amount of space, about three feet from anything else."

National Fire Safety week is in October, and over the years, that observance has expanded to cover the entire month. For firefighters, however, it's different.

"For us, fire safety and prevention is 52 weeks a year," he said.

The biggest part of prevention is education, he said, and crews from the Shelbyville department and volunteer departments in the county have been visiting schools all month. If people focus on three factors, he said, fires can be prevented, and if not prevented, then survived.

Eliminate hazards

"First is eliminate the hazards," said Nicholson. "I would recommend you go in the Internet and find a fire safety checklist that best applies to you and use it. Look for and eliminate the hazards."

One such checklist can be found at the Consumer Product Safety Commission Web site at www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/556.html. It focuses mainly on stoves, heaters and other units which could cause fires if not used according to the manufacturer's instructions.

The Web site www.sparky.org/PDF/SparkyChecklist.pdf at sparky.org covers family behavior as well as equipment, with questions such as "Does a grown-up always stay in the kitchen when food is cooking on the stove?" and "Does your fireplace have a sturdy screen to catch sparks?"

Some common hazards noted on the websites include curtains too close to the stove, too many extension cords being used, flammable materials being left too close to space heaters, and not having working smoke detectors.

Early warning

Those smoke detectors and fire alarms are the second crucial point of fire prevention and education -- early warning. Unless you have one of the long-life 10-year lithium battery smoke detectors, you should change the batteries out twice a year, said Nicholson. The easiest way to remember when is to do it the same day you change the clocks from or to daylight-saving time, which ends at 2 a.m. Sunday.

"If you don't have a working smoke detector we will be willing to try and provide one, regardless of your ability to pay," said Nicholson. "You should have smoke detectors in the living area, in every bedroom and on every level of the house. We don't recommend having one in the kitchen."

He also recommended testing all detectors on a regular basis.

Plan ahead

The third factor isn't so much about preventing a fire as it is about surviving one.

"Have a plan," said Nicholson. "Make sure there are at least two ways out of every room. Pick a meeting place outside. If you have an upstairs, you need to have a fire safety ladder."

He said rooms without windows should not be used for bedrooms because it limits the possible escape routes. The more ways out you have, he said, greatly increases your chances of survival.

And fire drills aren't just for school kids anymore.

"You should have home practice drills," said Nicholson. "Just like they do at school or work."

Other dangers

Fire isn't the only threat artificial heat and closed windows can bring. Carbon monoxide poison, or CO, is a much quieter killer. It claims the lives of nearly 300 people in their homes each year according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. It is a deadly gas that is produced by fuel-burning heating equipment, such as furnaces, wood stoves, fireplaces, and kerosene heaters.

"If your using a combustible fuel source such as propane, gas or wood, you should have carbon monoxide detectors," said Nicholson. "And make sure the room is ventilated and the heater is used as the manufacturer recommends."

The Home Safety Council recommends these tips to prevent CO poisoning:

* Install at least one CO alarm near sleeping areas.

* Have a trained professional inspect, clean and tune-up your home's central heating system and repair leaks or other problems. Fireplaces and wood stoves should also be inspected each year and cleaned or repaired as needed.

* Keep gas appliances properly adjusted and serviced.

* Never use an oven or range to heat your home.

* Never use a gas or charcoal grill inside your home or in a closed garage.

* Portable electric generators must be used outside only. Never use them indoors, in a garage or in any confined area that can allow CO to collect. Follow usage directions closely.