·     Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

·     Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking.

·     Do not cook if you are sleepy, have been drinking alcohol, or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy.

·     Keep children away from cooking areas by enforcing a “kid-free zone” of 3 feet around the stove.

·     Position barbecue grills at least 10 feet away from siding and deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.

·     If you smoke, smoke outside. Most home fires caused by smoking materials start inside the home. Put your cigarettes out in a can filled with sand.

·     Make sure cigarettes and ashes are out. Soak cigarette butts and ashes in water before throwing them away. Never toss hot cigarette butts or ashes in the trash can.

·     Check for cigarette butts. Chairs and sofas catch on fire fast and burn fast. Don’t put ashtrays on them. Never smoke in a home where oxygen is used, even if it is turned off. Oxygen can be explosive and makes fire burn hotter and faster.

·     Be alert – don’t smoke in bed! If you are sleepy, have been drinking, or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy, put your cigarette out first.

·     Frayed wires can cause fires. Replace all worn, old or damaged appliance cords immediately and do not run cords under rugs or furniture.

·     Buy electrical products evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

·     If an appliance has a three-prong plug, use it only in a three-slot outlet. Never force it to fit into a two-slot outlet or extension cord.

·     Use electrical extension cords wisely; never overload extension cords or wall sockets.

·     Immediately shut off, then professionally replace, light switches that are hot to the touch and lights that flicker.

·     Keep combustible objects at least three feet away from portable heating devices.

·     Buy only heaters evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

·     Check to make the portable heater has a thermostat control mechanism, and will switch off automatically if the heater falls over.

·     Check with your local fire department on the legality of kerosene heater use in your community.

·     Only use crystal clear K-1 kerosene in kerosene heaters. Never overfill it. Use the heater in a well-ventilated room.

·     Inspect and clean woodstove pipes and chimneys annually and check monthly for damage or obstructions.

·     Never burn trash, paper, or green wood.

·     Use a fireplace screen heavy enough to stop rolling logs and big enough to cover the entire opening of the fireplace to catch flying sparks.

·     Make sure the fire is completely out before leaving the house or going to bed.

·     Store cooled ashes in a tightly sealed metal container outside the home.

·     Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is a tool, not a toy.

·     Store matches and lighters out of children’s reach and sight, preferably in a locked cabinet.

·     Teach children not to pick up matches or lighters they may find. Instead, they should tell an adult immediately.

·     Never leave children unattended near operating stoves or burning candles, even for a short time.

·     Check under beds and in closets for burned matches, evidence your child may be playing with fire.