Fire

• Fireproofing Your Home
• Fire Prevention Week
• Fire Stops with You
• Heat Safety with Alternative Fuel Heating Systems
• Wildfire: Avoiding Damage to Your Home
• Wildfire Fact Sheet

Fireproofing Your Home for the Holidays

With the holidays approaching, many Americans are already busy decorating their homes, shopping and getting together with friends and family. As you make your own preparations, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management hopes you will also keep fire safety in mind to ensure that the happy occasions ahead aren’t spoiled by property destruction, injury or tragedy.The holiday season and the colder weather that often accompanies it bring all types of fire hazards into our homes, workplaces and almost every building we enter between now and the New Year. From blinking lights and other decorations to a warm fire in the fireplace, it’s easy to see how safety precautions could be forgotten amid the sights and sounds of the holidays. But, by heeding a few important safety tips, we can enjoy the season and celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or New Year’s Eve without the fear of fire.Here are some precautions you can take:· Keep all portable heaters at least three feet away from flammable items. Turn off space heaters before leaving a room or going to sleep. Also, use only manufacturer recommended fuel in portable kerosene heaters. Shut down and cool off such equipment before refueling.· If you celebrate the holidays with a live Christmas tree, find a fresh one and give it water regularly. Also, keep the tree away from any heat sources or exits. If you use an artificial tree, make sure it is labeled as flame retardant.· Purchase only UL approved lights. Never use frayed or damaged strings or mix indoor or outdoor lights. Also, unplug lights before going to sleep each night or leaving your home.· Do not overload electrical circuits, such as wall outlets and extension cords; use a circuit (power) strip.· Keep a tight-fitting screen on your fireplace and obtain a professional inspection annually before usage. Have your chimney cleaned on a regular basis.· Never burn holiday wrappings, a discarded Christmas tree or its branches in your fireplace. Dry Christmas trees burn very hot and extremely quick. The fire could ignite your carpet or nearby window coverings. Also, a Christmas tree is very oily and could damage your fireplace.

Fire Prevention Week in October

Held every October, Fire Prevention Week commemorates the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which killed more than 250 persons, left 100,000 homeless and destroyed more than 17,400 buildings. Each year the Kansas Division of Emergency Management joins our state’s fire service community during Fire Prevention Week as part of its continuing mission to reduce life and economic losses due to fire and related emergencies

ACT NOW TO BE PREPARED!

1. Buy and carefully maintain a quality smoke detector.
2. Learn what causes fire.
3. Inspect your home to eliminate or control fire hazards.
4. Install at least 5-pound A-B-C type fire extinguishers in the home and teach family members how to use them.
5. Establish a well-planned escape route with the entire family.
6. Hold practice fire drills until all family members are thoroughly familiar with the plan.
7. If you have an older home, have the wiring checked by a qualified electrician to make sure it meets current building codes.
8. Have your chimney and fireplace cleaned and inspected yearly for creosote build-up, cracks, crumbling bricks or mortar and any obstructions.
9. Keep storage areas clean and tidy.
10. Keep curtains, towels and potholders away from hot surfaces.
11. Store solvents and flammable cleaners away from heat sources. Never keep gasoline in the house.
12. Inspect extension cords for frayed or exposed wires or loose plugs.

WHAT TO DO

Remain calm, but take immediate action!

If it is a home or high-rise fire:

1. Call the fire department immediately.
2. Slide a pan lid over flames to smother a grease or oil fire, then turn off the heat and leave the lid in place until the pan cools. Never carry the pan outside.
3. Extinguish other food fires with baking soda. Never use water or flour on cooking fires.
4. Keep the oven door shut and turn off the heat to smother an oven or broiler fire.

WHAT TO DO AFTER A FIRE

1. Do not enter a fire-damaged building, unless authorities say it is all right.
2. When entering a fire-damaged building, look for signs of fire or smoke.
3. Have an electrician check the household wiring before the current is turned back on. Do not attempt to reconnect utilities yourself. Leave that to the fire department and other authorities.
4. Beware of structural damage. Roofs and floors may be weakened and need repair.
5. Contact your local disaster relief service, such as the American Red Cross or Salvation Army, if you need housing, food, or personal items, which were destroyed in the fire.
6. Call your insurance agent. Keep records of all cleanup and repair costs.
7. Do not throw away any damaged goods until an official inventory has been taken.
8. If you are a tenant, contact your landlord.

Fire Stops with You!

The best defense is a working smoke detector because it provides the early warning necessary for quick escape. When the smoke detector goes off, get out of your home immediately! Remember to keep low to the ground and move quickly. Most deaths occur in the home. Deaths due to not being able to escape a fire are particularly avoidable.

Some important safety tips:

1. Make sure everyone in your family knows and practices escape routes from every room.
2. Have a flashlight to help you see and a whistle to alert your family.
3. Practice feeling your way out of the house with your eyes closed.
4. Remember to escape first, know how to notify the fire department, and when to call for help.
5. Never open doors that are hot to the touch.
6. Teach your family to stop, drop to the ground and roll if their clothes catch fire.
7. Designate a meeting place outside. Try to make it a location away from your home, but not necessarily across the street.

Tips to Prevent & Survive Fires

Smoke Detectors

1. Install a smoke detector on every level of your home, near bedrooms, in the garage, and away from air vents.
2. Test the batteries every month, and change them with fresh batteries at least once a year.

Portable Heaters

1. Keep blankets, clothing, curtains, furniture and anything else that could get hot and catch fire away from portable heaters.
2. Plug heaters directly into the wall socket and unplug them when they are not in use.

Safe Cooking Practices

1. Keep items away from the stove that could catch fire, such as towels, clothing, and curtains.
2. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, and know when and how to use it.

Electricity

1. Use safety plugs in electrical outlets, especially if you have small children.
2. Avoid overloading electrical outlets and running cords under carpets and furniture.

Safety Smoking Habits

1. Never smoke in bed!
2. Keep matches and lighters away from children!

Fire Escape Drills

1. Plan and practice a fire escape route from every room.
2. Use a chain ladder to escape from upper levels and practice using it.
3. Teach children not to hide from firefighters.
4. Identify a place outside to meet in case of a fire.
5. Know how to call for emergency assistance.

Using your Escape Plan

1. Crawl low, under the smoke, and keep your mouth covered.
2. Feel closed doors with the back of your hand. If hot, use another exit. If not hot, open the door slowly and check for smoke and fire.
3. Meet at the designated meeting place outside, and then call for help. NEVER return to a burning building.

Heat Safely with Alternative Fuel Heating Systems

While natural gas, propane, electricity and fuel oil continue to heat most homes, many homeowners rely on wood, coal, and other more unusual fuel sources such as corn for winter comfort. Those fuels can provide abundant heat, but require some additional safety precautions.

Every heating unit that uses an open flame needs air for combustion. Efforts to make homes weather-tight with improved caulking, siding and/or insulation, and better windows and doors, may restrict the amount of combustion air available. Outside air should be provided for combustion through an air exchanger or vent that warms the air it enters the home.

The addition of a wood stove, furnace, fireplace, gas clothes dryer, gas stove or gas water heaters increases the demand for combustion air. If that demand is not met, there is a grave danger of carbon monoxide poisoning for the residents.

The chimney of an alternate fuel heating system needs attention every year before the heating season. When wood or coal is used, preventing chimney fires should be a major concern. Soot and creosote can build up to dangerous levels. Woodstoves and fireplace chimneys should be cleaned and inspected every year. Masonry chimneys should be inspected for cracks, crumbling mortar, obstructions, and creosote deposits. Prefabricated metal chimneys need to be inspected for corrosion, tightness of the joints, and creosote deposits.

Qualified, trained persons should do chimney cleaning and inspection. It is not a job for amateurs or the average homeowner. Annual safety inspections are recommended for wood burning stoves and fireplaces. Cracks and other defects such as leaky door seals, broken or loose hinges, and faulty draft regulators are common problems. Examine the legs of wood stoves to make sure they provide a sturdy and secure base for the stove. If the wood stove has a cracked glass insert in the door, it should be replaced.

If your older stove has major defects such as warped panels or other defects from overheating, replace the entire stove. Your life depends on the safe operation of that stove; so don't trust it for another year.

Homeowners who have not used a woodburning stove or heater lately should review management and operation procedures before starting a new season. Check to make sure minimum clearances from combustible surfaces have been maintained. Make sure the stove is still on its fire-resistant base. Remind youngsters that the hot stove should not be touched or played with. Consider how you will handle and dispose of hot ashes. Remember to use only metal containers.

Remember that a slow burning fire creates more creosote than a faster one. When creosote buildup occurs frequently, adjust the draft of the fire to provide more air and speed up combustion. An occasional faster burning fire can help to reduce creosote buildup when there isn't too much, be sure to check it first.

Every home needs to be protected with smoke alarms. It's not uncommon to find smoke detectors with missing batteries in homes heated with wood or coal. An occasional, accidental release of smoke sets off the alarm and soon the battery is disconnected or removed. Careful location of the detector and better management of the wood stove can prevent the false alarms and still allow the detector to provide protection.

Most insurance companies provide discounts on insurance premiums to clients who have smoke alarms in their homes. Test smoke alarms frequently and replace the battery whenever it becomes weak.

Replace any alarm that doesn't function properly during a test. The price of a smoke alarm is cheap when compared to the cost of a house fire.

Avoiding Wildfire Damage: A homeowner’s checklist

There are several safety precautions that you can take to reduce the risk of fire losses caused by wildfires. Protecting your home from wildfire is your responsibility. To reduce the risk, you'll need to consider the fire resistance of your home, the topography of your property and the nature of the vegetation close by.

This checklist has several suggestions that you can implement immediately. Others need to be considered at the time of construction or remodeling. You should also contact your local fire department, emergency management office or building department for information about local fire laws, building codes and protection measures.

Always be ready for an emergency evacuation. Evacuation may be the only way to protect your family in a wildfire. Know where to go and what to bring with you. You should plan several escape routes in case roads are blocked by a wildfire.

Find out what your fire risk is.

Learn about the history of wildfire in your area. Be aware of recent weather. A long period without rain increases the risk of wildfire. Consider having a professional inspect your property and offer recommendations for reducing the wildfire risk. Determine your community's ability to respond to wildfire. Are roads leading to your property clearly marked? Are the roads wide enough to allow firefighting equipment to get through? Is your house number visible from the roadside?

Thin out the vegetation around the house.

All vegetation is fuel for a wildfire, though some trees and shrubs are more flammable than others. To reduce the risk, you will need to modify or eliminate brush, trees and other vegetation near your home. The greater the distance between your home and the vegetation, the greater the protection.

Create a 30-foot safety zone around the house.

Keep the volume of vegetation in this zone to a minimum. If you live on a hill, extend the zone on the downhill side. Fire spreads rapidly uphill. The steeper the slope, the more open space you will need to protect your home. In this zone, do the following:

1. Remove vines from the walls of the house.
2. Move shrubs and other landscaping away from the sides of the house.
3. Prune branches and shrubs within 15 feet of chimneys and stovepipes.
4. Remove tree limbs within 15 feet of the ground.
5. Thin a 15-foot space between tree crowns.
6. Replace highly flammable vegetation such as pine, eucalyptus, junipers and fir trees with lower growing, less flammable species. Check with your local fire department or garden store for suggestions.
7. Replace vegetation that has living or dead branches from the ground level up (these act as ladder fuels for the approaching fire).
8. Cut the lawn often keeping the grass at a maximum of 2 inches. Watch grass and other vegetation near the driveway, a source of ignition from automobile exhaust systems.
9. Clear the area of leaves, brush, evergreen cones, dead limbs and fallen trees.

Create a second zone at least 100 feet around the house.

This zone should begin about 30 feet from the house and extend to at least 100 feet. In this zone, reduce or replace as much of the most flammable vegetation as possible. If you live on a hill, you may need to extend the zone for several hundred feet to provide the desired level of safety.

Clear all combustibles within 30 feet of any structure.

1. Ask the power company to clear branches from power lines.
2. Avoid using bark and wood chip mulch.
3. Stack firewood 100 feet away and uphill from any structure.
4. Keep the gas grill and propane tank at least 15 feet from any structure. Clear an area 15 feet around the grill. Place a 1/4-inch mesh screen over the grill. Always use the grill cautiously but refrain from using it all during high-risk times.

Remove debris from under sun decks and porches.

Any porch, balcony or overhang with exposed space underneath is fuel for an approaching fire. Overhangs ignite easily by flying embers and by the heat and fire that get trapped underneath. If vegetation is allowed to grow underneath or if the space is used for storage, the hazard is increased significantly. Clear leaves, trash and other combustible materials away from underneath sun decks and porches. Extend 1/2-inch mesh screen from all overhangs down to the ground. Enclose wooden stilts with non-combustible material such as concrete, brick, rock, stucco or metal. Use non-combustible patio furniture and covers. If you're planning a porch or sun deck, use non-combustible or fire-resistant materials. If possible, build the structure to the ground so that there is no space underneath.

Enclose eaves and overhangs.

Like porches and balconies, eaves trap the heat rising along the exterior siding. Enclose all eaves to reduce the hazard.

Cover house vents with wire mesh.

Any attic vent, soffit vent, louver or other opening can allow embers and flaming debris to enter a home and ignite it. Cover all openings with 1/4 inch or smaller corrosion-resistant wire mesh. If you're designing louvers, place them in the vertical wall rather than the soffit of the overhang.

Install spark arrestors in chimneys and stovepipes.

Chimneys create a hazard when embers escape through the top. To prevent this, install spark arrestors on all chimneys, stovepipes and vents for fuel-burning heaters. Use spark arrestors made of 12-gauge welded or woven wire mesh screen with openings 1/2 inch across. Ask your fire department for exact specifications. If you're building a chimney, use non-combustible materials and make sure the top of the chimney is at least two feet higher than any obstruction within 10 feet of the chimney. Keep the chimney clean.

Other safety measures that need to be considered at the time of construction or remodeling.

1. Avoid designs that include wooden decks and patios.
2. Use non-combustible materials for the roof. The roof is especially vulnerable in a wildfire. Embers and flaming debris can travel great distances, land on your roof and start a new fire. Avoid flammable roofing materials such as wood, shake and shingle. Materials that are more fire resistant include single ply membranes, fiberglass shingles, slate, metal, clay and concrete tile. Clear gutters of leaves and debris.

Use fire resistant siding.

Use fire resistant materials in the siding of your home, such as stucco, metal, brick; cement shingles, concrete and rock. You can treat wood siding with UL-approved fire retardant chemicals, but the treatment and protection are not permanent.

Choose safety glass for windows and sliding glass doors.

Windows allow radiated heat to pass through and ignite combustible materials inside. The larger the pane of glass, the more vulnerable it is to fire. Dual- or triple-pane thermal glass, and fire resistant shutters or drapes, help reduce the wildfire risk. You can also install non-combustible awnings to shield windows and use shatter-resistant glazing such as tempered or wire glass.

Wildland Fires: Fact Sheet

The threat of wildland fires for people living near wildland areas or using recreational facilities in wilderness areas is real. Advance planning and knowing how to protect buildings in these areas can lessen the devastation of a wildland fire.

BEFORE

Learn and teach safe fire practices.

1. Build fires away from nearby trees or bushes.
2. Always have a way to extinguish the fire quickly and completely.
3. Never leave a fire--even a cigarette--burning unattended.

Obtain local building codes and weed abatement ordinances for structures built near wooded areas.

Use fire-resistant materials when building, renovating, or retrofitting structures.

Create a safety zone to separate the home from combustible plants and vegetation.

1. Stonewalls can act as heat shields and deflect flames.
2. Swimming pools and patios can be a safety zone.

Check for fire hazards around home.

1. Install electrical lines underground, if possible. Keep all tree and shrub limbs trimmed so they don't come in contact with the wires.
2. Prune all branches around the residence to a height of 8 to 10 feet. Keep trees adjacent to buildings free of dead or dying wood and moss.
3. Remove all dead limbs, needles, and debris from rain gutters.
4. Store combustible or flammable materials in approved safety containers and keep them away from the house.
5. Keep chimney clean.
6. Avoid open burning completely and especially during dry season.

Install smoke detectors on every level of your home and near sleeping areas.

Make evacuation plans from home and from neighborhood. Plan several routes in case the fire blocks escape route.

Have disaster supplies on hand

1. Flashlight with extra batteries
2. Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries
3. First aid kit and manual
4. Emergency food and water
5. Non-electric can opener
6. Essential medicines
7. Cash and credit cards
8. Sturdy shoes

Develop an emergency communication plan

1. In case family members are separated from one another during a wildland fire (a real possibility during the day when adults are at work and children are at school), have a plan for getting back together.
2. Ask an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as the "family contact." After a disaster, it's often easier to call long distance. Make sure everyone knows the name, address, and phone number of the contact person.

Fire-Resistant Building Materials

1. Avoid using wooden shakes and shingles for a roof. Use tile, stucco, metal siding, brick, concrete block, rock, or other fire-resistant materials. Use only thick, tempered safety glass in large windows and sliding glass doors.
2. Contact your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter for more information on wildland fires.

DURING

Turn on a battery-operated radio to get the latest emergency information.

Remove combustible items from around the house.

1. Lawn and poolside furniture
2. Umbrellas
3. Tarp coverings
4. Firewood

Take down flammable drapes and curtains and close all venetian blinds or noncombustible window coverings.

Take action to protect your home.

1. Close all doors and windows inside your home to prevent draft.
2. Close gas valves and turn off all pilot lights.
3. Turn on a light in each room for visibility in heavy smoke.
4. Place valuables that will not be damaged by water in a pool or pond.

If hoses and adequate water are available, leave sprinklers on roofs and anything that might be damaged by fire.

Be ready to evacuate all family members and pets when fire nears or when instructed to do so by local officials.

AFTER

Take care when re-entering a burned wildland area. Hot spots can flare up without warning. Check the roof immediately and extinguish any sparks or embers. Check the attic for hidden burning sparks. For several hours afterward, re-check for smoke and sparks throughout the home.

If Trapped in a Wildland Fire

You cannot outrun a fire. Crouch in a pond or river. Cover head and upper body with wet clothing. If water is not around, look for shelter in a cleared area or among a bed of rocks. Lie flat and cover body with wet clothing or soil.

Breathe the air close to the ground through a wet cloth to avoid scorching lungs or inhaling smoke.