HOME FIRE HAZARDS CAN BE AVOIDED

There are over 1,700 home fires every day in this country .On an average one home starts burning every minute. Brunswick had 51 structure fires last year with losses totaling over $850,000.

Home fires cause death, injury and property damage, yet most of them are preventable. People need to be aware of the careless ways fires start and they need to periodically check for fire hazards. The Brunswick Fire Department recommends the use of the following checklist:

ELECTRICITY

• Are all appliance cords and extension cords in good condition? Worn or damaged cords can start a fire.
• Are all electrical cords in the open not under rugs over nails or through the doorway?
• Are all appliances with hot surfaces and light bulbs kept away from things that burn easily (i.e., paper, cloth, etc.)?

HEATING

• Are all combustibles such as paper, boxes, and trash at least three feet from your furnace and hot water heater?
• Before the heating season, do you have your furnace inspected and cleaned?
• Do you have a tight fitting metal or glass screen or door on all woodburning devices?
• Do you know never to start a fire in your fireplace, or anywhere, with gasoline?
• Do you have your chimney cleaned regularly? Creosote in the chimney can cause fires.
• Are portable heaters placed away from combustibles and where they won't tip over?
• Do you turn off portable heaters before going to bed?

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