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- Fire & Burn Safety Checklist
Fire & Burn Safety Checklist
You can protect yourself or a loved one from an accidental fire or burn by adding a few simple devices to your home. Give your home a Lowe's Accessible Home™ Physical to determine some of the key areas that can improve overall safety and accessibility.
Tips and Tricks
- Make sure you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home as well as inside or near sleeping areas.
- Test your smoke alarms once a month, and replace batteries once a year or when you hear the smoke alarm "chirp."
- Devise an escape plan in case of fire, and practice it at least twice a year. If possible, move your bedroom to the first floor.
- Keep evacuation routes clear and free from clutter or furniture that may block your way.
- Check that doors and windows open easily. If you have security bars, install quick-release bars to enable a speedy exit.
- Keep a phone and emergency numbers in the bedroom to call for help in case you can't get out.
- For smokers, only use large, deep ashtrays on sturdy surfaces, like a table, and never smoke in bed. Wet cigarettes or cigar butts with water before putting in the trash.
- Stay in the kitchen when food is cooking on the stove, and avoid loose clothing or roll-up sleeves when starting to cook.
- Position space heaters at least three feet away from furniture or other items that are potentially flammable.
- Turn off space heaters if you leave a room or go to sleep.
- Don't overload an electrical outlet. Plug only one cord into each outlet, and check cords for potential wear.
- Unplug small appliances when not in use.
- If possible, choose a home or apartment with fire sprinklers.
- Keep fire extinguishers within easy reach. Mount them near an exit door or under a kitchen sink.
- Place a fire extinguisher in every area of your home where fire might occur - especially in the kitchen, living room, and laundry room. Make sure to read the directions for the fire extinguisher.
- Install antiscald faucets on sinks, bathtubs, and showers to help prevent hot water burns; lever-style handles are easier to turn on and off.
| What You May Need | Where to Find It |
|---|---|
| Smoke Alarm | |
Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home, especially outside of sleeping areas. | Hardware |
| Choose a hard-wired system; depending on your type of home, one may be required. Hard-wired alarms offer the added safety of a battery backup (in case of power failure), and if one is triggered, the other alarms throughout the home also may go off. | Hardware |
Place battery-powered smoke alarms almost anywhere as required. | Hardware |
| Carbon Monoxide Detector | |
Protect yourself and loved ones by placing a carbon monoxide detector in each bedroom. Carbon monoxide can be a silent killer. | Hardware |
Choose from battery-powered, plug-in, or hard-wired models. | Hardware |
| Fire Extinguisher | |
Determine which class of fire extinguishers is right for you. Units marked A, B, or C indicate which type of fires they are meant to fight. | Hardware |
Class A extinguishers are made for fires involving paper, wood, textiles, and plastics. The material inside smothers the fire, putting it out by cutting off the oxygen that feeds it. | Hardware |
Class B extinguishers are made for fires involving flammable liquids, such as grease, oil, gasoline, and paint. Two kinds of material are used: one to smother the fire and one to create a chemical reaction that puts it out. | Hardware |
Class C extinguishers use nonconductive materials to fight fires in live electrical equipment. | Hardware |
| Induction Cooktops & Ranges | |
Consider flameless induction cooktops and ranges, which create an oscillating magnetic field that heats the pot or pan, so the possibility of burn injury is significantly less than with other methods, such as with flames or red-hot electric heating elements. | Appliances |