Fire Safety Checklist

Fire Safety

1. Have you created a home evacuation plan with your family that includes two ways out of each room in the home, and a meeting place outside?

2. Is the home evacuation plan practiced two times per year?

3. Are keys for dead bolt locks available?

4. Is the furnace/fireplace/flue pipe clean and inspected annually by a professional?

5. Are flammable liquids stored in approved safety cans with tops? (Preferably outside the home in a detached garage/shed)

6. Are combustibles stored in the garage or shed which is away from the home?

7. Are paint cans stored in metal cabinets?

8. Are paper or other combustibles cleared out of the home periodically to avoid accumulation?

9. Are smoke detectors located on all floors especially outside the sleeping area?

10. Are smoke detectors less than 10 years old?

11. If the smoke detectors are wired into the home’s electricity, is there a battery back-up?

12. Are smoke detectors tested at least once per month?

13. Are smoke detector batteries changed at least once per year?

14. Are kitchen ventilation fans and dryer vents cleaned annually?

15. Do fireplaces have screens?

16. Are metal containers used for the proper disposal of fireplace ashes, and are ashes set to cool away from home or deck for at least three days?

17. Are combustible objects located at least 36 inches away from space heaters, wood stoves, furnaces, and hot water heaters?

18. Are extension cords used only as temporary sources of electricity?

19. Are too many appliances plugged into an outlet, creating an overload?

20. Does everyone sleep with their bedroom door closed?

21. Are the address numbers at least three inches tall, and are they clearly seen from the road?

22. Are candles burned only when they are constantly attended by an adult, and are they placed high out of the reach of children?

23. If fossil fuel-burning appliances are present, is there a Carbon Monoxide detector?

24. Are halls and stairways well-lit and free of obstructions?

25. Are frayed, cracked, and broken electric cords replaced by professionals?

26. Are poison control and local emergency numbers  (911) posted by the phone?

Kitchen

27. Does an adult attend cooking constantly?

28. Are combustibles stored away from kitchen stove/range top?

29. When cooking, are pot handles turned inward and children kept away from microwave or stove?

30. Are small appliances unplugged when not in use?

Children’s Bedroom

31. Is furniture (especially bed or crib) located away from windows?

32. Is the crib mattress firm and does it fit the crib frame snugly and securely?

33. Are crib slats less than 2 3/8 inches apart?

34. Is the headboard and footboard of the crib flat (no cut outs)?

35. Are mobiles removed from cribs of children older than 5 months?

36. Does the toy box either have no lid or a slowly closing lid, and are there holes to allow air in?

37. Are toys free of loose or broken parts, sharp edges, points and/or long cords?

General Safety (if children are present)

38. Does the medicine cabinet have a safety latch or lock?

39. Are household cleaning products & other poisonous products kept in the original container and in a cabinet with a safety latch or lock?

40. Is there syrup of Ipecac in the home?

41. Is an adult always in the bathroom when children are bathing?

42. Is bath water tested before children enter, and are children taught to test the water?

43. Is hot food tested before feeding children?

44. Are knives, scissors, and other sharp objects kept in a cabinet or drawer with a safety latch or lock?

45. Are objects that are small enough to fit in a toilet paper tube kept away from small children (under three)?

46. Are window blind drapery cords secured out of children’s reach?

47. Are toddler gates used at top and bottom of stairs (if a child under three years old lives in the home)?

48. Are matches and lighters kept high out of the reach of children or locked away?

49. Are unused electrical outlets covered?

50. If there is a firearm in the home does it have a trigger lock or is it stored unloaded in a locked box?

51. Is ammunition stored away from firearms?

52. Do children under the age of four ride in child safety seats? Have they been professionally installed?

53. Is the home free of chipping or peeling paint?

Bathroom

54. Are hair dryers, curling irons, radios etc., used away from sink, tub, shower, or toilet, and are they unplugged after each use?

55. Does the bathtub have a non-skid mat or strips?

56. Is the hot water heater adjusted to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or less?

If a smoker is present…

57. Are ashtrays large, ,deep, ,and tip resistant?

58. Are all ashtrays checked for smoldering materials before being discarded, and are they cleaned on a regular basis?