Planning

FIRE SAFETY

The National Fire Protection Association estimates that approximately 80% of all fires deaths in the United States and Canada occur in the home. ONCE A FIRE STARTS THERE IS NO TIME TO DEVELOP A PLAN. KNOW WHEN TO GO AND WHAT TO DO. Many lives can be saved if people react immediately when a fire alarm sounds.
Have an escape plan that includes two ways out of each room and a meeting place outside the home. Practice it with the whole family regularly.

Working smoke detectors save lives! The City of Greenbelt Code requires an operable smoke detector be installed on every level of your home and inside each sleeping room or area. Test them monthly and install new batteries.

IN A FIRE EMERGENCY
 
  • Sound the alarm
 
  • React immediately. Know when to go.
 
  • Call the fire department using a phone outside of the home
 
  • Teach children how to get emergency help
PLAN YOUR ESCAPE
 
  • Have a plan that includes two ways out of every room and a meeting place outside the home
 
  • Practice the escape plan regularly with the whole family
CRAWL LOW UNDER SMOKE
 
  • If you encounter smoke on your way out of a fire, use your second escape route.
 
  • If you must escape through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to your exit.
STOP DROP AND ROLL
 
  • If your clothes catch fire, stop where you are. Drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll over and over to smother the flames.
USE ELECTRICITY SAFELY
 
  • Don’t overload extension cords or run them under floor covering
 
  • Discontinue using frayed or cracked extension cords
 
  • Use proper size fuses in your fuse box.
 
  • Discontinue using defective appliances and have them repaired by a professional
GASOLINE SHOULD BE STORED IN AN APPROVED SAFETY CONTAINER OUTSIDE OF THE HOME
 
  • Use gasoline as a motor fuel only, never for cleaning.
MATCHES OR LIGHTERS CAN BE DEADLY IN THE HANDS OF A CHILD
 
  • Use child resistant lighters
 
  • Store all matches and lighters in a secure area, preferably in a locked cabinet.
SPACE HEATERS NEED SPACE
 
  • Never leave heaters on when you leave home or go to bed. Keep children and pets well way from space heaters
 
  • Keep portable and space heaters at least 3 feet from combustibles
SECURITY BAR ON WINDOWS CAN TRAP YOU IN A FIRE
 
  • Use bars that have a quick release mechanism that everyone in the household can operate.
FIREWORKS ARE DANGEROUS
 
  • Even sparklers which can burn as hot as 1200 degrees F causes thousands of injuries to children each year.
 
  • Attend professional displays and leave fireworks to the technicians who are trained to use them.
ENJOY A SAFE HOLIDAY 
 
  • Water your Christmas tree daily and be sure it is placed away from exits and heat sources
 
  • Make sure holiday lights are labeled by an approved testing laboratory and in good condition.
CLICK HERE FOR A FIRE SAFETY CHECKLIST!

 

 

 
Department of Planning and Community Development
15 Crescent Road
Suite 200
Phone: 301-345-5417
Fax: 301-345-5418
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