Home Fire Hazard Inspections What we will learn

Home Fire Hazard Inspections

What we will learn today • We will learn how to keep our homes and families safer by conducting home inspections to find the hazards that could cause a fire.

We have already learned: • What causes a fire • What to do in a fire emergency • How to protect ourselves from being burned

• We learned that it takes three things to cause a fire: Heat - or something that is hot Oxygen - or the air all around us Fuel - or something that will burn

• And when we remove one side of our fire triangle, the fire cannot survive Oxygen - or the air all around us Fuel - or something that will burn

• What are some of the most common causes of home fires? – Careless use of smoking materials – Children playing with matches and lighters – Cooking left unattended on the stove – Overloaded electrical outlets – Unattended candles – Any others?

• In our homes, if we keep the heat sources away from the fuel sources. . .

• We can prevent a fire from happening.

• The best way to prevent a fire is to correct hazards that can cause a fire. – What are some of the hazards you see in this picture and what can we do to correct them?

• Think about your bedroom. What are some of the hazards that might exist there? – Extension cords running under clothes, furniture, or rugs – Furniture in front of windows that may be used as a secondary exit – Cluttered closets - stuff piled too close to the light – Burning incense or candles in your bedroom – Lamps or novelty lights left on – Any others?

• Does your bedroom have a smoke alarm in it? • Do you sleep with your bedroom door open or closed? – Always sleep with your bedroom door closed – Closed doors help to limit the spread of smoke and fire • Is your bedroom in the basement? – Do you have a window in your room for escape if needed?

• The best way to prevent a fire is to correct hazards that can cause a fire. – What are some of the hazards you see in this picture and what can we do to correct them?

• What kind of fire hazards could you find in your basement, garage or storage shed? – Flammable liquids (paint, gas, oil) not in proper containers or too close to a heat source - like a water heater or space heater. – Piles of clothing, paper or boxes too close to a heat source - like a water heater or furnace. – Any others?

• Take your home fire hazard checklist home and inspect your home, with your parents or grandparents, to find any hazards you may have - then correct them immediately!

Remember - fires don’t just happen. They need a heat source and a fuel source combined with oxygen. By spotting fire hazards in your home, you can keep your heat and fuel sources separated - a fire does not happen!