Safety Tips
Safety tip sheets-Reproduced from NFPA's Fire Prevention Week website, www.firepreventionweek.org. ©2011 NFPA."
NFPA offers safety tip sheets on a variety of fire and life safety topics. Download, print and share these tip sheets to spread the word about fire safety. Note: All sheets are in PDF format.
If buying or renting a manufactured home is in your future, make sure you keep fire safety inmind. |
By following a few simple safety tips, you can prevent painful burns and possible fires. |
 NEW! Home safety for people with disabilities (670k) It’s important to take precautions to provide adequate fire safety for everyone. |
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Cooking |
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Fireworks (633k) |
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Halloween |
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High-rise apartments & condominiums (584k) |
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The place where we feel safest — at home — is where most smoking-materials structure fires, deaths, and injuries occur. |
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Smoke alarms save lives. However, people who are deaf or hard of hearing may not be able to depend on the traditional smoke alarm to alert them to a fire. |
The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially at Thanksgiving. |
 Winter/holiday (962k) Winter holidays are a time for families and friends to get together. But that also means a greater risk for fire. |
Asbestos Risks in the Home
Asbestos is a mineral that can be found on just about every continent, and has been used for centuries for a variety of purposes. Qualities that made asbestos so appealing for use in construction include its fire and heat resistance, its inability to conduct electricity, its inability to react with most chemicals and the way it can dampen sound. However, because exposure to asbestos can cause significant health risks, it has been now been discontinued from common use for home construction.
Download "Asbestos Risks in the Home" (651k) for a more detailed explanation of how to look for asbestos and what to do if you find it in your home.
Girls (And Everybody) Just Want to Have Fun
Years from now when you look back on this summer vacation the memories should be of laughter, adventure and fun, beach trips, boating, camping and sightseeing... not pain, tragedy, ambulances or hospitals. The Springfield Fire Department wants you to include fire and burn safety in your vacation plans.
We hope you are careful about fire safety throughout the year, but we realize summer can make people careless. Add to that carelessness unfamiliar surroundings and the risks are even greater. So keep these tips in mind throughout your happy summer.
Fire Safety Away From Home
You may vacation away from home sometime this summer. Whether you're visiting relatives or staying at a resort hotel, find out if there are smoke alarms and automatic fire sprinklers. If a hotel you're considering doesn't have both of these protectors, consider finding another place to stay. Lack of these important lifesavers isn't a very good sign. If Aunt Sally doesn't have smoke alarms, give her one as a thank you gift. Bring it with you and install it as soon as you've said your hellos. It's a gift she'll appreciate long after your visit is over.
After you arrive at your temporary home, check out your possible exits. In an unfamiliar place it's doubly easy to become disoriented in an emergency, so be sure you'll remember how to get out--at least two ways out in case the main exit is blocked.
If you're staying in a high-rise hotel, brush up on special fire safety tips for high-rise buildings. The bottom line is to get out safely if you can; if you can't, stay in your room and wait for help to arrive. Don't jump! You'll never survive the fall, and help is probably just minutes away.
Remember Smokey
If you go camping or driving through forests or other wild lands, be especially careful with fire. Millions of acres of lovely forest lands are lost every year to careless vacationers. If you must smoke, be especially vigilant with ashes and cigarettes disposing of them in closed metal containers. Don't discard until cool. And don't leave messy piles of ashes and cigarettes for others to see. Bury them thoroughly.
When camping, use battery-powered lanterns and be extra cautious with campfires. Build them well away from overhanging bushes and trees and far from your tent. Be sure the fire is completely out and the coals and ashes cool before leaving the fire. Douse them with water, smother with dirt, scatter the ashes and douse again. Use more than you think is necessary and maybe it will be enough. Take no chances.
Summer Risks
Summer is a time for many risky activities. Boating, mini bike riding and go-cart driving involve gasoline engines. Gasoline and its invisible vapors are explosive and kill or mame thousands of Americans. Never smoke while refueling, use gasoline only outside and always turn off engines and let them cool before refueling. Remember that the gasoline's vapors will travel close to the ground far from their source and will explode if they contact any source of heat, flame or spark. Because the vapors are invisible you won't know where they've traveled until it's too late. A single gallon of gasoline has the explosive power of 10 sticks of dynamite. Don't be careless with this potential bomb.
Remember; there is no safe way to use fireworks. It's that simple. Manufacturing errors can make them go haywire, blinding and crippling users and innocent bystanders alike. Even sparklers, assumed by many people to be safe enough for children, can cause serious injury. They can set clothing afire and blind with stray sparks. All fireworks are explosives. They are not toys. Leave them to the professionals. Go to community fireworks displays, sit back and enjoy the show.
Avoid lightning like the unpredictable killer it is. If you are outside and a storm is a approaching, don't assume you have plenty of time. Head for safe shelter, but never under a tree, awning or beach umbrella. Lightning will strike anything that sticks up higher than its surroundings, and especially metal. At the beach or pool, get out of the water and stay out. Go inside until it's over. If you're caught out in the open in a field or in a boat on water, get down as low as you can and stay down. You'll get wet but you probably won't get fried.
Keep cookouts safe. Wear clothing that won't hang over the hot grill and keep children away. If you must use charcoal lighter fluid, use it sparingly and cautiously. Never squirt just a little more on a fire that's already lit. The fire will shoot along the stream of fluid back up the can and ignite the can in your hand. It happens so fast you won't have time to drop the can. And it is as horrible as it sounds. A safer and better way to start your fire is with a pile of crumpled newspapers under and around the coals. It's old-fashioned, but it works, and it won't blow up in your face.
Summer First Aid
Summer activities seem to mean summer injuries. It's best to be prepared and to know what to do. If you haven't learned CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), this is a good time. You just might need it. It's the best way to treat a drowning victim.
Treat minor cuts by cleaning with soap and water and protecting with a clean bandage; either the adhesive type or a gauze pad. Large, jagged, deep cuts or cuts caused by metal objects should receive medical attention right away. Call a doctor or ambulance.
Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are common in summer. Learn to recognize them and respond appropriately. Their causes are similar, but their symptoms and the treatment they call for are very different.
A high body temperature, skin that is hot and red, and a pulse that is strong and rapid, indicate possible heat stroke. Try to reduce the body's temperature with cool water, an alcohol rub or cold packs. Don't over chill, however, by covering the victim with ice.
A normal body temperature accompanied by pale, clammy skin, profuse sweating, nausea and weakness indicate heat exhaustion. Have the victim lie down and apply cool, wet cloths. Make a drink of salt water (1 teaspoon of salt in a 6-ounce glass of water) and have the victim sip the drink very slowly, finishing the glass over about an hour's time.
Sunburn is no different than a burn from a small flame or a scald from steam or boiling water. Don't take it lightly. Cool the skin with cool water, but don't use extensive ice packs. Never apply greasy or oily ointments to a sunburn. They hold the heat and can make a burn worse. A non-greasy lotion can cool the burn safely. If the skin is blistered and weepy, cool the burn and get medical attention. This kind of burn can be serious and may get worse if not treated by a professional.
It won't take very much extra care to make your summer safe, not sorry. You'll be glad you did. Every summer you'll be glad to have another vacation to enjoy. Summer vacations are for fun. Even when we're out of school, summer always beckons with a special call. When you answer that call, be sure you bring fire safety and common sense along.
Be Prepared For Common Summer Injuries
Summer means outdoor activities and injuries. The Springfield Fire Department suggests some first-aid tips to help you be ready for common summer emergencies. Very large or deep cuts, jagged cuts or those caused by a metal object call for medical attention. High body temperature, red skin, and a rapid pulse may mean heat stroke. Reduce body temperature with cool water, but don't over chill. Pale, clammy skin, sweating and nausea indicate heat exhaustion. Lie down, apply cool wet cloths and sip a weak salt water drink. Have you been trained in CPR? This a good time to take a class. Have a safe and pleasant summer.
Celebrate Sensibly
As a reminder; there are no safe ways to use fireworks. Firecrackers can go off while you're still holding them. Rockets can go off sideways into someone's face. Fireworks accidents are never minor. So don't use fireworks of any kind. If others do, keep away from them. Many of the thousands of victims of fireworks accidents were innocent bystanders. Even sparklers have caused countless tragic clothing fires and blinding accidents. They are not for children. Fireworks are deadly and unpredictable, and only for professionals. So sit back and enjoy the show.
Even When School's Out, Some Tests Must Continue
Most fatal fires happen at night, so a smoke detector has to sense the fire while you sleep and warn you so you can escape safely. The Springfield Fire Department reminds you to test your smoke alarms every month. In addition to pressing the test button, it's a good idea to test further by carefully blowing smoke into the detector from a candle, cigar or cigarette. If your alarms are wired-in, have battery-operated ones as backup in case the electricity goes out. Change batteries at least once a year. Every household should have and practice a home fire escape plan that includes at least two ways out of each room. Don't leave your life to chance.
Don't Let Summer Excitement Make You Careless
Summer fun and summer chores can cause serious summer accidents. Whenever using any engine fueled by gasoline--whether a boar, go-cart, mini bike or lawn mower--use extreme caution. The Springfield Fire Department wants you to know that gasoline creates invisible vapors that can drift away from the source and explode with no warning. So never smoke while using gasoline. Turn off engines and let them cool before fueling. Then move the engine at least 10 feet from where you fueled it before restarting. Never use gasoline for cleaning or to start a fire--you'll get a lot worse than you bargained for. So start your engines--but carefully.
Don't Forget To Pack Fire Safety
Vacations are exciting. The Springfield Fire Department wants you to bring fire safety practices with you when you travel. You know how you would escape from your bedroom at home if there was a fire in the middle of the night, but how could you escape from that hotel room, or from Uncle Fred's spare room? When you first arrive be sure you notice where the exits are. Then check to be sure they'll really work out. Find out in advance whether there are smoke alarms and automatic fire sprinklers. Inexpensive, portable smoke alarms are available for traveling. Don't leave home without one. Have a happy and safe vacation.
Lightning Deserves Your Respect
Every year you hear of people being struck by lightning during summer storms. Most are killed. The Springfield Fire Department wants to remind you not to take chances in thunderstorms. Lightning strikes anything that sticks up above its surrounding. Don't be a lightning rod. If you're at the beach or pool, get out of the water and find shelter--but not under a tree or beach umbrella! Don't stay on the beach. If you're in a boat on the water, or are in a field too far from safe shelter, get down and stay low. You'll get wet but you probably won't get fried. Don't try to outguess the storm or assume you'll escape harm. That's what most lightning strike victims thought.
Watch Out For That Lawn Mower!
It's lawn care time again and the Springfield Fire Department wants you to be extra careful More than 60,000 people are hurt in lawn mower accidents every year. So remember these safety tips. Store and pour gasoline safely. Never smoke while refueling. Shut off the engine and let it cool down before refueling, too. Check the cords on electric mowers. If there are any worn spots, have the cord replaced by a reliable repair shop. Never use an electric mower on wet grass. And never leave a running mower unattended. Tragic accidents only take a second to happen.
Keep The Cookout Fun
It's hard to beat the flavor of burgers, steaks and corn grilled on the barbecue. But the Springfield Fire Department wants you to use common sense and cook safely. If you use lighter fluid, use it sparingly, and never on a fire that's already started to burn. Keep away from overhanging trees, awnings or roofs. Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose nearby in case of a flare-up. And use long-handled outdoor cooking equipment to keep your hands safely away from the grill and coals. Keep children away from the grill. After cooking, soak coals with water and leave them outside in a ventilated area so they can't build up heat and reignite. Enjoy the cookout...safely.
Steaks Are For Cooking
It's easy to make a steak taste great, especially when it's been grilled outdoors. It's just as easy to cook that steak carefully. The Springfield Fire Department reminds you to add fire safety to your barbecue recipe. Barbecue risks can be avoided with a little common sense. Wear clothing that won't flop against the coals or hot surfaces of the grill. Always use long-handled utensils intended for barbecuing. The safest way to start your fire is with a bunch of crumpled newspapers. It is low-tech but it works and won't explode in your face. Keep a garden hose or large bucket of water nearby, just in case. Then have a safe, happy and delicious cookout.
