• Make sure that bedroom doors are kept closed during sleeping hours.

• Have a rope or ladder handy in a convenient location to be used as an emergency escape from a second floor.

• Keep flammable items in their proper places…don’t aid in starting fires.

• Make sure outdoor TV antennas are grounded so as not to conduct lightning into the house.

• By covering the ceiling joists directly above the heater and for about five (5) feet around with fireproofing materials, you are adding protection to your home.

• Consider keeping a dry-chemical fire extinguisher which can be used to snuff out all types of fires.

• Be sure that when you purchase household items, they are fire resistant.

• In case of a fire, quickly get out of the house. Don’t waste any valuable time trying to gather possessions.

• Make certain that all doors and escape windows open easily.

• Have quality fire and smoke alarm systems installed on each level of your home so as to provide early warnings. Test alarm systems regularly.

• Instruct children how to test for smoke and heat before opening doors.

• Make sure to make escape EXITS for small children and the elderly.

• Conduct periodic household fire drills.

• Affix emergency telephone numbers to all telephones.

• Properly ventilate throughout the house so as to allow temperature to stay at a safe level.

• Regularly check household electrical appliances and their cords for fraying.

• Make sure not to overfuse your electrical circuits. This could result in a potential fire hazard.

• Keep basement escape window clear and not permanently locked.

• Replace locks immediately if you lose your key.

• Make sure outside doors are kept locked at all times.

• Get marking equipment from your local police department and write your name and social security number on your valuables.

• Have a one-way peephole installed in any outside solid doors.

• Photograph or video your valuables and keep the photographs/video in safe deposit box.
• Keep tool shed doors and garage doors locked at all times.

• Consider installation of an indoor-outdoor intercom system.

• Install a security alarm system.

• Have police telephone number affixed to all telephones in the house.

• If you see any signs of forced entry, call the police immediately and do not enter the house.

• Improve lighting around the house. Keep night lights on at all outside entrances.

• Have locks replaced on newly acquired homes.

• Add dead bolt locks to exterior doors.

• If you are going on vacation, have a controlled lighting system turned on automatically. This makes burglars think that someone is at home.
• Keep a written record of all valuables (charge cards, licenses, etc.).

• Install double cylinder locks to all outside doors (with glass panels).

• Make sure that you know the person at the door before allowing entrance to your home.

• Do not keep identification on you key rings.

• Have trees and shrubs cut down next to the house. Thick shrubs and trees can sometimes conceal a burglar trying to break in.

• Don’t leave valuables at home unsecured.

• Separate your house keys and your auto keys when you leave your car in a parking lot.

• Keep space heaters, radios, and other electrical products away from bathtubs and sinks.

• Keep medications, cleaning products, and other poisons away from children and pets.

• Make sure that you have ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlets installed in the bathroom as well as in the kitchen, laundry room, workshop, and any exterior outlets near running water.

• Install UL Listed smoke detectors and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms outside every sleeping area and near fuel-burning appliances.

• Place halogen torchiere lamps in locations where they cannot be tipped over by children, pets, or a strong draft from an open window.

• Do not allow curtains or other combustible materials to come in contact with torchiere lamps at any time. To help prevent your infant from becoming trapped between the crib frame and mattress, choose a firm mattress that fits the crib frame snugly and securely.

• Also, make sure the mattress support does not easily pull away from the corner posts.

• Use a tape measure or ruler and look for strangulation hazards and areas where an infant can become trapped. There should be no more than 2-3/8 inches between crib slats, corner posts should not extend more than 1/16 of an inch above the end panels (unless the corner posts extend at least 16 inches high for a canopy), and headboards and footboards should not contain cutout areas.

• Store all portable and small appliances and their cords out of the reach of children and always keep them a safe distance away from the sink.

• Keep all portable and countertop appliances unplugged when not in use.

• Never use or attempt to repair a damaged appliance; always consult a qualified technician.

• Every home should have working UL Listed smoke detectors and fully charged UL Listed fire extinguishers strategically placed in the kitchen, garage, and workshop.

• Use outlet plug covers to prevent children from inserting objects into outlets.

• Never run an electrical cord under a rug or carpet, or drape it over a hot surface such as a radiator or space heater.

• Make sure that all portable lamps and fixtures are equipped with light bulbs of equal or lesser wattage than that recommended by the lamp or fixture manufacturer.

• Unplug all extension cords when not in use and never use an extension cord that is cut or damaged.

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