Home Fire Safety
Table of Contents
Home Fire Safety
Escape Plans & Drills
Why it matters
Because homes and furnishings burn faster than they used to, you often have less than 2 minutes to escape safely once the smoke alarm sounds.
What to know
Make a written home fire escape plan with everyone who lives in your home.
- Draw a simple map and mark two ways out of every room
- Pick an outside meeting place in front of the home, a safe distance away, where firefighters can see you
- Practice your home fire drill regularly, aiming to get out in under 2 minutes
- Make sure your plan includes children, older adults, and anyone who may need assistance
- If there is smoke, get low and go under it to your way out. Close doors behind you on your way out if it’s safe to do so. Once you’re outside, stay outside and call 911.
Do this now
- Draw your plan
2 exits per room and an outside meeting place that’s in front of the home, a safe distance away, where firefighters can see you. - Clear and test
Ensure windows and doors open easily and are not blocked. - Practice
Run a home fire drill twice a year, including at night, and challenge everyone to get out in under 2 minutes.
Don’t
Don’t go back inside for people, pets, or belongings; tell 911 dispatch and firefighters who is missing.
Quickly get out, stay out, and call 911 from outside!
Pet Safety
Fires & Evacuation
Why it matters
Pets often hide during emergencies, and strict rules at evacuation shelters or hotels can slow families down if they don’t plan ahead
What to know
Include pets in your home fire escape plan. Keep pets away from stoves, candles, heaters, and electrical cords. Keep leashes, carriers, and medications near your exits so they are easy to grab. Identify pet-friendly evacuation destinations ahead of time, as many shelters do not accept pets.
Do this now:
- Prep a grab kit
Keep a leash, carrier, medications, and pet ID near the door. - Identify safe locations
Identify pet-friendly evacuation destinations (hotels, friends) ahead of time. - Plan your rescue communication
Add “Tell firefighters about pets” to your family escape drill.
Don’t
Don’t go back inside for a pet. Never re-enter a burning building to rescue an animal; alert firefighters immediately instead
Home House Numbers
Emergency Access
Why it matters
If responders can’t find your home quickly, lifesaving minutes are lost
What to know
Make sure your house number is easy to see from the street, day and night. Use numbers with strong contrast that are large enough to be read from the road. If you have a long driveway or shared lane, post the number near the street and on the home.
Do this now:
- Do a curb check
Walk to the street at night to see if you can read your numbers quickly. - Clear the view
Clear away any plants, decorations, or snow that block the numbers. - Add street numbers
Add a second set of numbers at the street or mailbox if your home is hard to spot.
Don’t
Don’t rely entirely on GPS. Don’t use tiny decorative numbers or assume GPS alone is enough, especially during severe weather and night time.
Close Before You Doze
Why it matters
Research shows that a closed door can dramatically reduce heat, smoke, and fire spread into bedrooms, buying you valuable time to wake up and escape.
What to know
Make closing bedroom doors part of your nightly routine. “Close Before You Doze” is a research-backed practice showing that a closed door keeps conditions safer longer by slowing down fire, heat, and smoke. Pair this habit with working smoke alarms placed inside and outside sleeping areas. If the alarm sounds, follow your escape plan immediately. Teach family members to feel closed doors with the back of their hand for heat before opening it; if it is hot, use your second way out.
Do this now:
- Close doors before bed
Close bedroom doors, and doors between living and sleeping areas, every night. - Check alarm placement
Confirm you have working smoke alarms inside and outside every sleeping area. - Check doors for heat
Teach family members to feel doors with the back of your hand for heat before opening them. Use another way out if a door is hot or smoke is coming in around it. - Add drills to your calendar
Practice your escape plan with your entire family at least twice a year, including at night.
Don’t
Don’t treat closed doors as a substitute for alarms. A closed door is an extra layer of protection, but you still need working alarms and a practiced escape plan
Charging Safety
Lithium-ion Batteries
Why it matters
Lithium-ion batteries store a lot of energy; bad charging habits or damaged batteries can lead to fast, high-energy fires.
What to know
Most everyday devices that you plug in to recharge use lithium-ion batteries. Always use the manufacturer’s charging equipment or an approved replacement. Charge devices on a hard, flat surface. Never charge them on beds, couches, or under pillows, because trapped heat can catch fabrics on fire.
Leaving a device plugged in after it reaches 100% can internally damage the battery over time. Leaving devices in high or low temperatures or in sunlight can damage batteries. Damaged batteries and devices are at high risk of exploding and causing dangerous fire and toxic smoke. Watch for warning signs like swelling, leaking, unusual heat, hissing, strange odors, or smoke. For larger devices like e-bikes or medical mobility devices (like power wheelchairs), always charge where the device will not block your exit route
Do this now:
- Close doors before bed
Close bedroom doors, and doors between living and sleeping areas, every night. - Check alarm placement
Confirm you have working smoke alarms inside and outside every sleeping area. - Check doors for heat
Teach family members to feel doors with the back of your hand for heat before opening them. Use another way out if a door is hot or smoke is coming in around it. - Add drills to your calendar
Practice your escape plan with your entire family at least twice a year, including at night.
Don’t
Don’t ignore damage. Never ignore overheating, swelling, hissing, or strange odors. Stop using the device immediately. If it is safe to do so, move the device outside away from anything that can burn.
COOKING SAFETY
Overview
Why it matters
Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries
What to know
Most cooking fires start when someone gets distracted, walks away, or leaves the heat too high. Stay in the kitchen when frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling. Keep anything that can burn away from the stovetop and turn pot handles toward the back so they don’t get bumped.
Keep a pan lid or baking sheet nearby.
Do this now:
- “Stand by your pan”
If you leave the kitchen, always turn the stove off. - Keep a lid nearby
Know the “cover the pan and turn the heat off” move for small cooking fires so you can quickly smother a flame. - Create a kid-free zone
Mark a 3-foot kid-free and pet-free zone around the stove.
Don’t
Don’t ever put water or flour on a cooking fire. This will cause the fire to spreak rapidly.
Pan Fires
If a small pan fire starts
- Carefully slide a lid or baking sheet over the pan.
- Turn off the heat
- Let it cool completely.
Don’t ever put water or flour on a pan fire.
Removing the lid or baking sheet before it’s completely cool, can reignite the fire.
If the fire does not go out quickly, get out while closing doors behind you, and call 911 from outside.
Oven Fires
If a small oven fire starts
- Keep the door closed
- Turn off the heat
- Let it cool completely.
Don’t ever put water or flour on an oven fire.
Opening the oven door before it’s completely cool can reignite the fire.
If the fire does not go out quickly, get out while closing doors behind you, and call 911 from outside.
Home Clutter
Clear Exits & Emergency Access
Why it Matters
Blocked exits trap residents inside and slow down firefighters trying to rescue people or stop the fire
What to know
Keep doorways, hallways, stairs, and windows clear so everyone can get out quickly and firefighters can enter safely. Clutter also increases fire risk by adding fuel and making it harder to keep combustibles away from heaters. If clutter is a persistent challenge, approach it with thughtfullness and start by creating at least one clear “life safety lane” to an exit.
Do this now
- Clear exit paths
Ensure your front door, bedroom doors, hallways, and one alternate exit route are clear - Test windows and doors
Verify that windows and doors open easily and aren’t blocked by furniture - Create safe zones
Keep combustibles at least 3 feet away from cooking and heating equipment
Don’t
Don’t store items in exit paths. Don’t store items in front of doors, windows, or on stairs.
Heating & Space Heaters
Why it matters
Space heaters and other heat sources can ignite nearby bedding, curtains, and furniture very quickly
What to know
Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from all heat sources, including space heaters, fireplaces, and radiators. Turn space heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed. Plug portable heaters directly into wall outlets, never into extension cords or power strips. Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected each year by a professional.
Do this now
- Measure the safe zone
Create a strict 3-foot safety zone around all heaters - Plug directly into the wall
Remove extension cords from space heater use - Turn them off
Always shut off heaters when sleeping or leaving the room
Don’t
Don’t heat your home with cooking appliances. Never use an oven, stovetop, or grill to heat your home
Electrical Safety
Appliance Safety
Why it matters
Overloaded outlets, damaged cords, and unsafe charging practices can cause overheating and fire
What to Know
Plug major appliances (refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers) directly into a wall outlet, as extension cords can overheat. Unplug small appliances when not in use.Replace appliances with cracked, loose, or damaged cords. In basements and utility areas, keep storage and trash at least 3 feet away from heat-producing equipment like furnaces.
Do this now
Check major appliances: Remove extension cords from major appliances and plug them directly into the wall
- Inspect your cords
Replace damaged cords and stop using loose or warm outlets until a professional repairs them - Clear utility areas
Keep basements clear by maintaining 3 feet of space around furnaces and water heaters
Don’t
Don’t run cords under rugs. Never run cords under rugs or through doorways where they can be damaged or pinched
Candles
Open Flames
Why it matters
Open flames can tip, spread to nearby items, and start a fast-growing fire, especially when people are tired or distracted
What to Know
Consider using battery-operated flameless candles. If you use real candles, keep them in stable holders where they cannot be knocked down, and place them at least 12 inches away from anything that burns. Blow out candles when you leave a room or go to bed, and never use lit candles in bedrooms, bathrooms, or sleeping areas.
Do this now
- Swap to flameless
Use flameless, battery-operated candles for routine use - Follow the 12-inch rule
Ensure real candles have a 12-inch clearance from combustibles - Blow them out
Make “last one out blows out” a non-negotiable house rule
Don’t
Don’t use candles for emergency lighting. During a power outage, use flashlights, not candles.
Smoking Materials
Why it matters
Smoking materials can ignite furniture, bedding, and papers, and fires are much more likely when people are distracted, sleepy or impaired
What to Know
If you smoke, smoke outside. Use deep, sturdy ashtrays or a bucket of sand or water, and make sure cigarette butts and ashes are completely out before you throw them away. Smoke only when you are alert. There is no safe way to smoke when medical oxygen is in use, because oxygen makes fires burn faster and hotter.
Do this now
- Smoke outside
Make your home smoke-free indoors - Extinguish fully
Use deep ashtrays and confirm ashes are completely out (wet them if needed) before disposal - Enforce oxygen rules
If medical oxygen is used, enforce a strict no-smoking and no-flame rule in the home
Don’t
Don’t smoke when drowsy. Never smoke in bed or when sleepy, drinking, or using medicines that make you drowsy
Safety for Special Populations
Disabilities & Access Needs
Why it matters
When alarms, evacuation steps, or equipment don’t match a person’s specific needs, escape can be delayed or impossible
What to know
Build a fire escape plan around actual mobility, sensory, medical, and communication needs. If someone is deaf or hard of hearing, use accessible alerting devices like strobe lights, bed shakers, or low-frequency alarms. If someone relies on powered medical devices, create a power outage plan.
Do this now
- Assign helpers
Add “who helps whom” to your written escape plan and practice it together - Use accessible alarms
Install strobe, vibration, or low-frequency alarm devices if needed - Build a power plan
Create a backup power plan for critical medical equipment
Don’t
Don’t assume standard alarms work for everyone. Don’t assume one standard, high-pitched smoke alarm tone will wake everyone; test it and adapt.
Matches, Lighters, and Fireworks
Why it matters
Fireworks and fire-starting tools cause severe burns and ignite homes and yards, often when families least expect it
What to know
Store matches and lighters up high and locked, out of children’s reach. Treat lighters as tools for adults only. Do not use consumer fireworks; instead, attend a public display run by professionals. Fireworks also stress pets, so plan to keep pets secure indoors during events
Do this now
- Lock them up
Store matches and lighters locked up and out of sight - Choose professional displays
If you want to see fireworks, choose a professional display instead of consumer fireworks - Secure pets
Keep pets indoors and secure during loud fireworks noise
Don’t
Don’t let kids handle fireworks (not even sparklers) or lighters, even “with supervision”; adult-only is the safer rule