Apartment fire safety tips

Editor's Note:

Although I have apartment dwellers - such as my wife and myself - in mind when I write this, the same safety information can also be applied to a single-family home.

-- WL

Being a Red Cross Disaster Action Team (DAT) dispatcher, I have seen a gradual increase in the number of apartment fires in the last ten (10)  since cooler temperatures set in. It's not the first time I've experienced it, because I saw the same thing during the twenty-five (25) winters that I was a volunteer firefighter. The good news is that these fires are preventable with a few common-sense tips I am going to present here:

Cook with care

Cooking is one of the leading causes of fires -- both in apartment communities as well as single-family homes . . . therefore fire prevention needs to start in your kitchen. Make sure that your counter tops are clear and free of clutter that could catch on fire. That means (cloth) towels, paper products, and plastic bags should be kept a minimum of three feet (3') away from the stove. Never leave cooking unattended -- grease fires can erupt quickly and they spread very fast. If a fire does starts in a pan while you're cooking, carefully cover it with a lid or another pan and turn off the heat.

Down to the wire

Space heaters are the second most common cause of fires in residential structures. Whether you are using portable heaters or baseboard heaters, keep clothing, bedding, and furniture at least one foot (1') away. Never leave the heater on when leaving home or going to bed. Also, remember to exam the wiring on the heater when you first take it out of storage at the beginning of the fall or winter season.

Other appliances can be equally dangerous. For this reason, make sure that small appliances are unplugged when not in use. Fire safety experts also recommend not running the clothes dryer when you are sleeping or if you're going to be away from home and to clean the lint filter after each use. Also, it's advisable to avoid running your dishwasher if you're not going to be at home to monitor it. The reason being is that the heating coils - which dry the dishes - could melt plastic food containers and cause a fire.

Where there's smoke

Never smoke cigarettes, cigars, or a pipe when you are drowsy or if you are already in bed. Don't place an ashtray on a sofa or over-stuffed chair and make sure to extinguish all smoking material before exiting a room. If you use candles, they should always be kept in sight when lit and placed well away from furniture, drapes, bedding, or other combustibles.

Speaking of smoke, it's important that your apartment - or house - is equipped with a smoke detector. This little device is a big player in fire prevention and has been credited with saving many lives. Although most apartments have one smoke detector already installed, don't hesitate to install a second one to make sure that you're adequately protected. This is especially true is you live in a two-story townhouse or condominium.