City of Rochester, Minnesota : Home Fire Safety Checklist

Home Safety Check List
You can help prevent fires. Use this check list. If you can answer YES to every question your home is fire safe. But if you answer NO to any question - get busy and correct the condition!
Matches and Careless Smoking Hazards
Do you keep matches away from sources of heat such as kitchen ranges or heaters ?	YES	NO
Do you make sure matches and smoking materials are out before disposing of them ?	YES	NO
Do you have plenty of large, noncombustible ashtrays in every room ?	YES	NO
Is "No Smoking In Bed" a rule in your home ?	YES	NO
Are all members of your family careful never to smoke when working around flammable liquids ?	YES	NO
Electrical Hazards
Do you allow only qualified electricians to install or extend your wiring ?	YES	NO
Are there enough electrical outlets in every room to avoid the need for multiple attachment plugs and long extension cords ?	YES	NO
Do you have have special circuits for heavy duty appliances such as kitchen ranges or clothes dryers ?	YES	NO
Do you replace blown fuses with fuses of the same size ?	YES	NO
Are all extension and appliance cords checked frequently to make sure they are not worn or frayed, and are loose prongs or plugs checked and replaced if found defective ?	YES	NO
Do you buy only appliances and equipment that are labeled by Underwriters Laboratories	YES	NO
Are all electrical cords in the open - not run under rugs, through doorways or partitions, or over hooks, radiators, heaters, pipes or ducts ?	YES	NO
If your house has aluminum wiring, has a qualified electrician determined that it is properly installed and that there are no loose connections which could cause overheating ?	YES	NO
Are irons or similar appliances unplugged when no one is present ?	YES	NO
Housekeeping Hazards
Do you keep your basement, closets, and attic cleared of old rags, papers, mattresses, broken furniture and other combustible odds and ends ?	YES	NO
After using oily polishing rags or waste, do you destroy them or place them in covered metal cans ?	YES	NO
If you store paint, varnish, etc., do you keep the containers tightly closed ?	YES	NO
Has everyone in your family been warned never to use gasoline, benzene or other flammable fluids for cleaning clothes, furnishings, appliances, floors, or anything else indoors ?	YES	NO
Heating and Cooking Hazards
Before the heating season begins, do you have your heating system inspected and serviced ?	YES	NO
Are all flue pipes, vent connectors, gas vents and chimneys inspected each fall, and cleaned and repaired as necessary ?	YES	NO
Have you eliminated all vent connectors and flue pipes that pass through attics, floors and ceilings ?	YES	NO
Are wood floors under stoves and heaters protected by insulation or ventilated air space ?	YES	NO
Is your wood stove properly installed and protected against igniting nearby combustibles including the floor, walls, and ceiling ?	YES	NO
Is every fireplace equipped with a sturdy metal fire screen ?	YES	NO
Is your portable heater kept away from stairways and doorways where someone might accidentally trip or fall on it or knock it over ?	YES	NO
Is your portable heater set level and does it have a safety switch which will turn it off automatically if accidentally tipped over ?	YES	NO
Do you always turn off portable or gas heaters before you go to bed ?	YES	NO
Since gas and oil heaters use up oxygen as they burn, do you always keep a window slightly open in any room where such a heater is being used ?	YES	NO
Do you always refill the fuel tank of your oil heaters and oil stoves outdoors and in daylight ?	YES	NO
Do you see that every portable heater is placed well away from curtains, bedding, furniture, and other combustible materials ?	YES	NO
Are the gas connections for portable heaters or other gas appliances made of metal ?	YES	NO
Has everyone in your family been warned never to use gasoline, kerosene, or other flammable liquids to start a fire in the kitchen range, fireplace, furnace, or charcoal grill ?	YES	NO
Are charcoal grills always used outside to prevent toxic gases and vapors produced by the charcoal from building up to dangerous levels ?	YES	NO
Does your family know that when grease, fat, lard, or cooking oil overheats, it will smoke just before catching fire, and the heat should be turned down ?	YES	NO
If a grease, fat, lard, or cooking oil fire starts on your stove, does your family know not to use water to put it out, but to either smother the fire by covering the pot with a lid or to use a dry chemical extinguisher ?	YES	NO
Does your family know that a fire in the oven of your stove can be extinguished by closing the door and turning off the heat, or by using a dry chemical type extinguisher ?	YES	NO
Is your kitchen range, including the oven broiler, kept clean of grease ?	YES	NO
Are curtains near kitchen ranges and heating equipment arranged so as not to blow over them ?	YES	NO
Has everyone in your family been told the hazard of wearing loose fitting shirts, blouses, pajamas, robes, etc., near a kitchen range where they could be ignited by the burners ?	YES	NO
Are your over counter cabinets at least 30 inches from the stove or 24 inches from a metal ventilating hood ?	YES	NO
Does your families everyday cooking habits include not leaving food unattended and keeping pot handles turned in from the stove's edge ?	YES	NO
Are cookies, cereal, or other "bait" stored away from the stove to prevent children from getting burned trying to reach such items overhead ?	YES	NO
Fire Equipment
Do you have at least one smoke detector (labeled by a nationally recognized fire testing laboratory) installed on each habitable floor, and is it tested and maintained regularly following manufacturer's recommendations ?	YES	NO
Do you have at least one fire extinguisher that is listed or approved by a nationally recognized fire testing laboratory for use on all types of fires ?	YES	NO
Have all extinguishers been checked and/or recharged according to instructions on the nameplate ?	YES	NO
Do you know how to operate the extinguisher(s) and are the fire extinguishers ia a convenient location for quick and easy use ?	YES	NO
Yard and Garage Hazards
Do you keep your yard clear of leaves, debris and combustible rubbish ?	YES	NO
If any of the surrounding property is vacant, have weeds, dry leaves and rubbish been cleared off ?	YES	NO
If you keep gasoline for use in a power mower or outboard motor, is it stored in a strong metal can with self closing lids on the openings, and labeled by a nationally recognized laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories ?	YES	NO
Is gasoline stored in a well ventilated area away from ignition sources - preferably in a garage or tool shed ?	YES	NO
If your garage is attached to the house, is it separated by a tight-fitting door which is kept closed ?	YES	NO
Special For Parents
Do you keep matches and lighters out of the reach of children and teach the older kids how to use them safely ?	YES	NO
Do you leave a responsible person with your children when you go out, even for a little while ?	YES	NO
When you employ baby-sitters, do you instruct them carefully what to do in case of fire ?	YES	NO
Important: A child learns by example as well as by instruction. In regard to fire safety, do you always set a good example ?	YES	NO
Are all children (sizes 0-14) provided with flame-retardant sleep wear ?	YES	NO
Have you taught your children the recommended procedure to use for extinguishing clothes on fire (DO NOT RUN - STOP, DROP AND ROLL) ?	YES	NO
In Case of Fire
Do you know what number to call in any emergency ?	YES	NO
Do you keep a list of emergency phone numbers posted and updated ?	YES	NO
In the event you have to call the fire department, do you make sure that you give your complete address and tell the dispatcher if you think there maybe someone trapped in the building ?	YES	NO
Have you worked out a plan of escape from every room in your house, especially the bedrooms ?	YES	NO
Have you practiced that escape plan by holding fire drills in your home ?	YES	NO
Other Considerations
If yo u use candles or oil burning lamps, do you make sure that they and their holders are in good condition before each use and they are located away from combustible materials ?	YES	NO
Does your family refrain from using highly flammable aerosols around open flames or while smoking ?	YES	NO
If any member of your family are disabled or handicapped, have special measures been taken to assure they are warned of fire and assisted in their escape ?	YES	NO
Are important documents such as: deeds, wills, stock certificates, and marriage licenses stored in a fire resistant safe in your home or safety deposit box outside the home ?	YES	NO
Are you satisfied that your home is safe from fire for you and your family ?	YES	NO

Contact Information

Home Fire Safety Checklist