The Southfield Fire Department has prepared the following Fire Safety Facts & Tips to help keep you and your family safe this holiday season. Have a safe and happy holiday!

 

COOKING

• Cooking is one of the top causes of fires
• Never leave cooking unattended
• Wear an oven mitt and set your stove timer as a reminder that you are cooking just in case you get distracted (kids, pets, phone, etc.)
• Cook on the rear burners and turn your pot handles inward to prevent children from reaching the hot surfaces or pots
• Keep combustibles away from the cooking surface
• Never cook if you are tired or if you have consumed alcohol
• If you have a cooking fire – GET OUT AND STAY OUT!
• Dial 9-1-1 from outside or from a neighbor’s home

 

CANDLES

• Use candles with care – blow them out before you go out!
• Blow out all candles before you leave the room and before you go to sleep
• Keep candles at least 1 foot away from anything that can burn
• Keep children and pets away from candles
• Consider using flameless candles instead of real “open flame” candles
• Place candles on a sturdy, non-combustible, uncluttered surface
• Never use a candle if oxygen is used in the home
• Never use candles during a power outage. Use flashlights and battery-powered lighting instead

 

FIREPLACE

• Keep combustibles at least three feet away from the fireplace
• Make a minimum three-foot “kid-free zone” around the fireplace
• Have your chimney cleaned annually by a qualified professional
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home and other combustibles.
• Turn off or extinguish the fireplace fire before leaving the home and before going to sleep
• Never use gasoline/kerosene or other ignitable liquids to light your fireplace