Home Fire Prevention Checklist

FIRE DEPARTMENT

Use this checklist to hunt for fire hazards in your home.

Is your stovetop clean and free of clutter?
Are your counter-top appliances in good repair (cords too)?
Do you have adequate electrical circuits for heat producing appliances?
Are wall receptacle outlets protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in the bathrooms, garage, kitchen, outdoors, and basements?
Are your portable fire extinguishers fully charged?
If you have a fireplace, does it have a screen to catch sparks?
Are space and portable heaters at least three feet (one meter) away from walls and anything else that can burn?
If anyone smokes in your home, do you have large, deep, no-tip ashtrays?
Are matches and lighters locked away up high, out of children's reach?
Are your fuses or circuit breakers rated higher than the ampacity (rated capacity) of the wires connected to them?
Has your heating system been serviced professionally in the past 12 months?
Has your chimney been inspected or cleaned in the past 12 months?
Are paints, gasoline, and other flammable liquids tightly sealed and stored away from flames and sparks?
Do you have smoke alarms installed on every level of your home?
Do your smoke alarms work (test them)?
Have you considered installing an automatic home fire sprinkler system in your home?
Are any smoke alarms in your home more than 10 years old? (If so, replace them.)?

Courtesy: of the National Fire Prevention Association www.nfpa.org