Homeowners Safety Tips

To help protect your family and your valuable assets, follow these homeowners safety and maintenance tips.

Candle Safety

Follow these candle safety tips from the NFPA.

Christmas Tree Safety

Learn More from the NFPA

Disaster Planning

Create and practice an emergency plan so your family will know what to do in a crisis. Make sure to plan for disasters that could affect your area, like hurricanes, tornados, floods, etc. Use these resources to get your plan started:

• Make a Plan from Ready.gov
• Make a Plan from the American Red Cross

Fire Pit Safety

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) reminds us to take caution when using fire pits this summer:

• Keep away from flammable material and fluids such as gasoline, diesel fuel, kerosene, and charcoal light fluid or vehicles while in use.
• Do not use flammable fluids such as gasoline, alcohol, diesel fuel, kerosene, and charcoal lighter fluid to light or relight fires.
• Exercise the same precautions you would with an open fire.
• Do not allow children to use the fire pit. Keep children and pets away.
• Do not wear flammable or loose fitting clothing such as nylon.
• Do not burn trash, leaves, paper, cardboard, or plywood. Avoid using soft wood such as pine or cedar that likely pop and throw sparks. Use of seasoned hardwood is suggested.
• Before starting the fire, make sure that the lid will still close to extinguish the fire in case of emergency. Do not overload.
• Before you light the fire, check the wind direction.
• Keep a fire extinguisher or garden hose nearby.

Source: ReadyWV

Fire Safety for Children

All children are at risk for using fire unsafely. Many fires happen simply because matches and lighters are left within a child's reach. Use these resources to help keep children safe from fire through education and planning:

• Children and Fire safety tip sheet from the NFPA
• Fire Safety for Children outreach materials from the USFA

Grill Safety - Propane & Charcoal

July is the peak month for grill fires. Learn safety tips for using propane and charcoal grills, provided by the NFPA.

Winter Heating Tips

Home fires occur more in winter than in any other season. Be warm and safe this winter with tips from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

• Put a Freeze on Winter Fires
• Heating Safety

Winter Holiday Safety

Be smart with your holiday decorating and entertaining by following these safety tips from the NFPA