October is Fire Prevention Month, but fire safety is not limited to one month on the calendar. The choices we make every day can reduce the chance of a fire and help everyone in the home respond quickly if one occurs.
Fire prevention does not have to be complicated. Start with the hazards most families encounter regularly: cooking, electrical equipment, heating appliances, smoking materials and open flames. Then make sure your home has working alarms and a practiced escape plan.
Start With Working Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms provide an early warning when every second matters. Install them inside every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. Interconnected alarms provide additional protection because when one alarm sounds, they all sound.
Test every alarm monthly. Replace batteries and alarms according to the manufacturer's instructions, and replace an alarm that does not respond properly when tested. For more details, review our smoke alarm safety guide.
Stay With What You Are Cooking
Cooking is a leading cause of home fires. Stay in the kitchen when frying, boiling, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen, even briefly, turn off the burner.
- Keep towels, packaging, oven mitts and other items that can burn away from the stovetop.
- Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
- Keep children and pets at least three feet from the cooking area.
- Keep a lid nearby when cooking on the stovetop.
If a small pan fire starts, slide a lid over the pan and turn off the burner if you can do so safely. Never put water on a grease fire. If the fire is spreading or you are unsure what to do, get outside, close the door behind you and call 911.
Give Heat Sources Space
Keep anything that can burn at least three feet from fireplaces, wood stoves, portable heaters and radiators. Plug portable heaters directly into a wall outlet, turn them off before leaving the room or going to sleep, and use equipment only as the manufacturer directs.
Have fuel-burning heating equipment, chimneys and vents inspected and maintained by qualified professionals as appropriate. Working carbon monoxide alarms are also important in homes with fuel-burning equipment or attached garages. Read our carbon monoxide safety guide for more information.
Use Electricity Carefully
Replace damaged or frayed cords. Do not overload outlets or power strips, and do not run extension cords under rugs or use them as permanent wiring. Major and heat-producing appliances should be plugged directly into appropriate wall outlets.
If an outlet, switch, cord or appliance feels unusually hot, smells like it is burning, sparks or repeatedly trips a breaker, stop using it and have the problem evaluated by a qualified professional.
Plan How Everyone Will Get Out
Draw a map of your home and identify two ways out of every room when possible. Choose a meeting place outside and a safe distance from the home. Practice the plan with everyone who lives there, including children, older adults and anyone who may need assistance.
Once outside, stay outside. Call 911 from a safe location and tell firefighters if anyone may still be inside.
Make Fire Prevention a Routine
Use Fire Prevention Month as a prompt to walk through your home. Test the alarms. Clear the exits. Look for overloaded outlets, damaged cords and combustibles too close to heat. Talk through the escape plan.
The U.S. Fire Administration's home fire safety resources offer additional guidance for preventing fires and preparing your household. A few minutes of prevention today can make a life-saving difference later.