DeKalb County Fire Rescue Offers Fire Safety Tips

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house fire

After an early morning fire claimed the lives of five people Dec. 14, DeKalb County Fire Rescue officials offer the following fire safety tips for residences.

“The No. 1 defense from a fire that occurs in your home will be an operating smoke alarm,” DeKalb County Fire Chief Darnell Fullum said.

Other tips include:

  • Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area. Install alarms on every level of the home. Install alarms in the basement.
  • Test smoke alarms at least once a month.
  • Never leave cooking food unattended and make sure to follow these tips while cooking:
    • Stay in the kitchen while food is cooking.
    • Establish a “kid-free zone” of three feet around your stove.
    • Keep the area around your stove clear of towels, paper, and anything else that can easily burn or catch fire.
    • Regularly clean your cooking equipment so that there is no accumulation of food items or grease which increase flammability.
    • Use a lid or baking soda to smother a pan fire.
  • Exercise safety and use proper ventilation when operating alternative heat sources, such as fireplaces, and electric heaters.
  • Do not use an oven as a heat source.
  • Do not bring grills, generators, kerosene heaters, and other outside heating devices inside to heat a home, as they emit poisonous carbon monoxide.
  • Keep anything that can burn at least three-feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater
  • Only use one heat-producing appliance (such as a coffee maker, toaster, space heater, etc.) plugged into a receptacle outlet at a time.
  • Have all electrical work done by a qualified electrician.
  • Major appliances (refrigerators, dryers, washers, stoves, air conditioners, microwave ovens, etc.) should be plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet. Extension cords and plug strips should not be used.
  • Check electrical cords to make sure they are not running across doorways or under carpets. Extension cords are intended for temporary use. Have a qualified electrician add more receptacle outlets so you don’t have to use extension cords.
  • Place heaters on a solid, flat surface.
  • Plug the heater directly into the wall outlet. Never use an extension cord.

For more information on fire prevention, visit the following:

location 1300 Commerce Drive Decatur, GA 30030 phone 404-371-2000 mail 311CCC@dekalbcountyga.gov

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