1. Unattended cooking

2. Combustibles too close to a heat source

On Average:

• 40% of all home fires• 36% of all home fire injuries• 1 out of every 8 homes • Mostly on the cook top• Usually in the first 15 minutes of cooking.

Unattended cooking

can lead to a fire

that can destroy a kitchen

and spread to the rest of a home

Fire started by a microwave oven

• Keep combustibles away from heat sources

• Stay in or near the kitchen while cooking

• Wear short or tight-fitting sleeves

• Cook on rear burners

• Keep pot handles turned away from the edge

• Keep surfaces clean; prevent grease build-up

• Don’t cook if drowsy or impaired

• Don’t allow kids or pets to play in the kitchen

• Turn off the stove to answer the phone or the door

If a fire occurs on the stove top –

• Do NOT use – A fire extinguisher– Baking soda– A towel

• NEVER pour water on a grease fire

• NEVER try to move a pan that’s on fire

For a grease fire in a pan –

1. Slide a lid over the pan,

2. Turn off the burner

3. Let it cool

If you don’t have a lid use:– Larger pan– Cookie sheet– Wooden bread board

For a fire in the oven1. Leave the oven door closed

2. Call 9-1-1

For a fire in a microwave oven

• Keep the door closed

• Unplug unit if safe to do so

• Have the microwave oven serviced before using again

This is a handle for opening the oven. It’sNOT A TOWEL RACK!

1. Combustible material too close (50%)

2. Candles left unattended (18%)

3. Playing with a candle (5% - mostly kids)

Falling asleep – 12% of candle fires, 25% of associated deaths

NFPA 2005

• Christmas

• Christmas Eve

• New Year’s Day

• New Year’s Eve

• Halloween

NFPA 2005

• 18,000 residential fires

• 130 civilian deaths

• 1,350 civilian injuries

• $333 million in direct property damage

U.S. - NFPA 2005

A candle started a fire in this apartment while the renter slept.

• Always use a candleholder

• Make sure it’s– Sturdy, won’t tip– Non-

combustible– Large enough to

collect dripping wax

• Do not use candles that have combustible items embedded in them

• Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or going to sleep

• Keep candles away from combustibles and flammable liquids

Burn candles inside a 1-foot “circle of safety”

• Never leave children unattended in a room with a burning candle

• Don’t allow candles (and incense) in children’s or teens’ rooms

• Store candles out of reach and sight of small children

• Never leave a burning candle unattended

• Use candles cautiously during a power outage

• Never use a candle when checking pilot lights or fueling equipment

• Avoid using any candles after an earthquake

Lamp, light fixture, or light bulb – 28%

Wiring – 22 %

Outlet, receptacle, or switch – 17%

Defective cords and plugs start 12% of electrical fires but cause 39% of civilian deaths resulting from electrical fires!

20,900 homes

500 civilian deaths

1,100 civilian injuries

$862 million in property damage

NFPA 2005

This fire was caused by a 150-watt bulb used in a 60-watt lamp.

• Use lighting safely– Place lamps on level, uncluttered

surfaces– Secure lampshades to protect

bulb if lamp is knocked over– Never drape fabric or other

combustible material over any lamp

• Use light bulbs that do not exceed recommended wattages

• Lighting to be used outdoors should be designated as such

• Don’t misuse fuses and circuit breakers– If a fuse blows or a circuit

breaker trips correct the problem– Never replace a fuse or circuit

breaker with one that exceeds the circuit rating

– Never tape a circuit breaker in the open position

• Maintain electrical outlets– Replace old or

damaged with GFI receptacles

– Plug type should match outlet type

– Do not use a multi-plug adapter unless it has its own circuit breaker

• Maintain electrical appliances– Look for the UL label

– Allow air space around each

– Unplug small appliances when not in use

– Check CPSC website for product recalls

• Care for electrical cords– Keep out of traffic paths– Replace if cracked, cut,

or frayed

Care for electrical cords

• Don’t push furniture against plugs in outlets

• Never run cords under carpets or through doorways

• Never alter plugs

If an outlet isn’t close enough:

• Re-arrange furniture• Have an electrician

install another outlet

• Use a multi-outlet adapter with its own circuit breaker

Extension cords are for temporary use only

• Heed warnings of electrical problems– Recurring blown fuses or tripped

circuit breakers– Feeling a tingle when touching an electrical appliance– Discolored wall outlets– Burning smell or odd odor – Sizzling sound at wall switches or

outlets– Flickering lights

• Knob and tube wiring often found in homes built prior to 1950

– Can become brittle over time

– Often impro-perly connected to newer wiring

– Unlikely to be able to carry the heavy load of multiple modern appliances

–Best replaced by a certified electrician

Knob

Tube

• Aluminum wiring, installed in homes during the 50s and 60s

– has been responsible for many home fires

– Biggest problem - connections with outlets and wall switches deteriorating over time

Aluminum wiring• Can be identified by the writing on the side of the insulation

Aluminum wiring • Can also be identified by the wire color

• Specialized connectors can reduce the risk of aluminum wiring• Rewiring is the best solution

Lint, lint, and more lint!

•A clothes dryer that has to work harder to evacuate lint and moisture can

•trigger enough heat to cause some dryer components to malfunction •produce sparks or even flames•sometimes produce enough heat to ignite lint or other nearby combustibles

• Each year dryer fires cause: – $99 million damage– 15,600 fire department responses– About 400 injuries and 15

fatalities.

Lint, lint, and more lint!

•A clothes dryer that has to work harder to evacuate lint and moisture can

•trigger enough heat to cause some dryer components to malfunction •produce sparks or even flames•sometimes produce enough heat to ignite lint or other nearby combustibles

•Fires usually occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct.

•Fires usually occur when lint builds up in the dryer or in the exhaust duct.

•Keep vent hose runs as straight and short as possible

•Keep vent hose runs as straight and short as possible

•Keep vent hose runs as straight and short as possible

•Keep vent hose runs as straight and short as possible

•Use smooth sided ducting, rigid if possible•Corrugated is more likely to collect lint•Vinyl is no longer allowed; it’s very dangerous!

•Have interior of cabinet cleaned out regularly

•Check and clean outlet regularly•Make sure air is coming through while the dryer is operating

– Clothing is still damp at the end of a typical cycle– Drying requires longer times than normal– Clothes feel hotter than usual at the end of the

cycle – Outside of dryer is unusually hot – Damper (or flappers) on exhaust termination

doesn’t open or barely opens when dryer is on – Laundry room feels warmer or more humid than

normal – Unexplained moisture stains appear in

concealed dryer exhaust duct area – Burnt smells in laundry room

Signs that the lint screen or

the exhaust duct is blocked.

• Flap covered or louvered vents help prevent birds/animals from nesting•Don’t use any type of screening

•Clean filter before and after every load

• Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.• If the exhaust duct system is not up to current

standard, have it replaced or corrected.• Install a fire extinguisher in laundry area, but

not over the dryer.• Install smoke alarm in laundry area.• Install CO alarm in laundry area (Gas dryer

only).• Replace a damaged lint filter.• Use caution not to crush or kink transition

duct behind dryer.• Never operate a dryer while sleeping or away

from home.• Deal with concerns immediately

Most fires are PREVENTABLE!

Escondido Fire Department

760-839-5400

fire.escondido.org