As the weather gets colder and families spend more time inside their homes, it is important to take precautions to ensure your home is safe.

Kitchens are the number one source of home fires. When cooking make sure your clothing is tight on you and it is not able to free-flow into a heat source. Never leave the kitchen when you are cooking. Have a fire suppression blanket and/or a fire extinguisher nearby in case of a fire. Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, or curtains — away from your stovetop. If you have a small (grease) cooking fire on the stovetop, smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire. Remember to call 9-1-1.

Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children, up high, preferably in a locked cabinet. Closely supervise children, making sure that they are kept away from other fire sources, including lit candles, cigarettes, bonfires, and stoves. It is natural for young children to be curious and ask questions about fire, play with fire trucks, or pretend to cook. Use these opportunities to teach them about fire safety. Explain that fire moves very quickly and can hurt as soon as it touches them. Tell them that this is why matches and lighters are tools for adults only. Teach young children to never touch matches or lighters. They must go tell a grown-up when matches or lighters are found.

Check electrical cords to make sure they are not running across doorways or under carpets. Have a qualified electrician add more receptacle outlets so you don’t have to use extension cords. Only use one heat-producing appliance (such as a coffee maker, toaster, space heater, etc.) plugged into a receptacle outlet at a time. Major appliances (refrigerators, dryers, washers, stoves, air conditioners, microwave ovens, etc.) should be plugged directly into a wall receptacle outlet. Extension cords and plug strips should not be used. Frequent problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers may be a signal of an electrical problem. Call an electrician to have it checked.

Working smoke and fire detectors are necessary in every room of your home. Replace the batteries at least two times a year. Each season, ensure that they are working.

Design a family escape plan and a meeting place in your yard, in case you need to leave your home. Draw a map of your home that has at least 2 ways to exit from each room. Practice your plan a couple of times a year during the day and at night. If your alarm goes off, get out. Never go back into a building until it is cleared by the fire department. For further information on keeping your home safe, visit your local fire department or fire marshal’s office. Information for this article was taken from the National Fire Prevention Association https://www.nfpa.org Further articles are available in multiple languages.

Anne E. Mead, Ed.D., is the Director of Family, School, and Community Partnerships for Danbury Public Schools. She can be reached at 203-830-6508 or by email at meadan@danburyu.k12.ct.us.