Fire prevention is the key to saving lives.  Bartow County Fire Department offers the following free to Bartow County residents:

 

                Preschool & Daycare Programs

                Senior Citizen Fire Safety & Home Safety Classes

                Fireplace & Home Inspections

                Smoke Detector Program

                Juvenile Fire Setter Intervention

                Fire Extinguisher Training

       

        ♥  Smoke Detectors Save Lives.  Is Your Smoke Detector Working?

        ♥  850 Children Die Each Year From Drowning Accidents. Always
            Supervise Your Children Anytime They Are Near Water.

  ♥  Bartow County is Under a Burn Ban Beginning May 1^st Thru September 30^th, 2004.

 

INSTALL SMOKE DETECTORS

SMOKE DETECTORS CAN alert you to a fire in your home in time for you to escape, even if you are sleeping. Install detectors on every level of your home and outside each sleeping are.  (If you sleep with the door closed, install one inside your sleeping area as well.)

Test detectors every month, following the manufacturer’s directions, and replace batteries once a year, or whenever a detector “chirps” to signal low battery power.  Never “borrow” a smoke detector’s battery for another use-a disabled detector can’t save your life.  Replace detectors that are more than 10 years old.

 

PLAN YOUR ESCAPE FROM FIRE

IF A FIRE BREAKS OUT in your home, you have to get out fast.  To prepare, sit down with your family and agree on an escape plan.  Be sure that everyone knows at least two unobstructed exits – doors and windows – from every room.  (If you live in an apartment building, do not include elevators in your escape plan.)  Decide on a meeting place outside where everyone will meet after they escape.  Have your entire household practice your escape plan at least twice a year.

 

KEEP AN EYE ON SMOKERS

CARELESS SMOKING is the leading cause of fire deaths in North America.  Never smoke in bed or when you are drowsy.  Provide smokers with large, deep, non-tip ashtrays and soak butts with water before discarding them.  Before going to bed or leaving home after someone has been smoking, check under and around cushions and upholstered furniture for smoldering cigarettes.

 

COOK CAREFULLY

NEVER LEAVE COOKING unattended.  Keep cooking areas clear of combustibles and wear clothes with short or tight-fitting sleeves when you cook.  Turn pot handles inward on the stove where you can’t bump them and children can’t grab them.  If grease catches fire in a pan, slide a lid over the pan to smother the flames and turn off the heat source.  Keep lid on until pan is completely cooled.

 

GIVE SPACE HEATERS SPACE

KEEP PORTABLE AND SPACE heaters at least three feet (one meter) away from anything that can burn.  Keep children and pets away from heaters and never leave heaters on when you leave home or go to bed.

 

MATCHES AND LIGHTERS – TOOLS NOT TOYS

IN A CHILD’S HAND matches and lighters can be deadly.  Buy child-resistant lighters and store all matches and lighters up high, where kids can’t see or reach them, preferably in a locked cabinet.  Teach your children that matches and lighters are tools, not toys, and should be used only by adults or with adult supervision.  Teach small children to tell a grownup if they find matches or lighters; older children should bring matches and lighters to an adult immediately.

 

COOL A BURN

RUN COOL WATER over a burn for 10 to 15 minutes.  If the burned skin blisters or is charred, see a doctor immediately.

 

USE ELECTRICITY SAFELY

IF AN ELECTRIC APPLIANCE smokes or has an unusual smell, unplug it immediately, then have it serviced before using it again.  Replace any electrical cord that is cracked or frayed.  Don’t overload extension cords or run them under rugs.  Don’t tamper with your fuse box or use improper-sized fuses.

 

CRAWL LOW UNDER SMOKE

DURING A FIRE, smoke and poisonous gases rise with the heat.  The air is cleaner near the floor.  If you must escape through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees to the nearest exit, keeping your head 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 cm) above the floor.

 

STOP, DROP, AND ROLL

IF YOUR CLOTHES CATCH FIRE, don’t run.  Stop where you are, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll over and over to smother the flames.