Helpful Links
Holiday Safety:
Decorating homes and businesses is a tradition during the holiday season. Decorations may increase the chance of fire. However, follow a
few simple Christmas tree and holiday decoration fire safety tips to ensure Happy Holidays for you and your family.
Make sure home is protected by smoke alarms. Alarms should be installed on each level of the home; including each bedroom and outside any sleeping area.
Test smoke detectors
monthly to ensure they are working properly and change batteries yearly.
Inspect electrical decoration and extension cords before use. Discard any damaged items.
Avoid overloading electrical outlets which may overheat
and start a fire.
Check live Christmas trees for freshness. Keep stand filled with water.
Keep tree and decorations three feet away from heat sources.
Use battery-operated candles instead of traditional candles. Never use burning candles on or near trees.
Keep space heaters three feet from bedding, curtains, clothing and paper products.
Always turn space heaters off when you leave a room or before you go to sleep.
Dispose of Christmas trees properly. Dried trees are a fire hazard and should not be left in the home or garage.
Electrical decoration should
be stored inside immediately after the holidays to prevent hazardous situations.
Statics show incidents of home fires and electrical accidents increase during winter months, says Chief Warwick of Talladega Fire Department.
Thirty percent of home fires and thirty-eight percent of fire related deaths occur in December, January, and February according to National Fire Protection Association. Therefore, its critical families keep fire safety in mind while enjoying the holiday season.
Fire Prevention
Talladega Fire Department provides customized fire prevention instruction to businesses, organizations and citizens in the primary response area. You can schedule a class, presentation or a facility tour by contacting Talladega Fire Department, Fire Prevention Coordinator.
Phone:
Visit these websites to get informative fire prevention and safety related material:
Winter Fire Safety Tips for the Home
Talladega Fire Rescue Department continues to fight structure fires at an alarming rate. The high cost of home heating fuels and utilities have caused many Americans to search for alternate sources of heating. The use of wood-burning stoves is growing and space heaters are selling rapidly, or coming out of storage. Fireplaces are burning wood and manmade logs. These methods of heating are acceptable and their usage are factors in residential fires. However, with precautions, these fires can be prevented. Please follow these tips during the winter season.
Furnace Heating
Furnace inspected
prior to usage by a
licensed professional
Change furnace filters
on a regular basis
Keep trash and other
combustibles away from
the heating system
Emergency shutoffs and controls
work properly as determined
by a qualified professional
Check the pipes and pipe seams.
Are they well supported? Free of
holes, and cracks? Soot along
or around seams may indicate a
leak. Deadly carbon monoxide
may be escaping into your home
Wood Stoves and Fireplaces
Wood stoves and fireplaces are
common heat sources in homes.
Careful attention to safety can
minimize their fire hazard
Be sure the stove or fireplace is
installed properly. Woodstoves
should have adequate clearance
(36”) from combustible surfaces,
and proper floor support
and protection
Wood stoves should be of good
quality, solid construction and
design, and should be UL listed
Chimney inspected annually
and cleaned if necessary
especially if it has not been
used for some time
Do not use flammable liquids
to start or accelerate any fire
Wood stoves should be of good
quality, solid construction and
design, and should be UL listed
Don’t use excessive amounts
of paper to build roaring fires in
fireplaces. It is possible to ignite
creosote in the chimney by
overbuilding the fire
Never burn charcoal
inside. Burning charcoal can
give off lethal amounts of
carbon monoxide
Keep flammable materials away
from your fireplace mantel.
A spark from the fireplace could
easily ignite these materials
Before you go to sleep, be sure
your fireplace fire is extinguished.
NEVER close your damper with
hot ashes in the fireplace.
A closed damper will help the fire
heat up again and will force toxic
carbon monoxide into the home
If synthetic logs are used
follow directions on package.
NEVER break synthetic logs
apart to quicken the fire or use
more than one log at a time.
They burn unevenly, releasing
high levels of carbon monoxide
Never discard hot ashes inside
or near home. Place them in a
metal container outside and
well away from the home
Kitchen Stoves
Before you go to sleep, be sure
your fireplace fire is extinguished.
NEVER close your damper with
hot ashes in the fireplace.
A closed damper will help the fire
heat up again and will force toxic
carbon monoxide into the home
If synthetic logs are used
follow directions on package.
NEVER break synthetic logs
apart to quicken the fire or use
more than one log at a time.
They burn unevenly, releasing
high levels of carbon monoxide
Kerosene Heaters
Follow the
manufacturer’s instructions
Be sure your heater is in good working condition. Inspect exhaust parts for carbon buildup.
Be sure the heater
has an emergency shut off
in case it is tipped over
Never use fuel burning
appliances without proper
room venting.
Burning fuel
(coal, kerosene, propane)
can produce deadly fumes
Use ONLY fuel recommended
by the heater manufacturer.
Using the wrong fuel can
cause a heater to malfunction.
Keep kerosene and other flammable liquids stored in approved metal containers in a ventilated storage area outside of the home
Refueling should be
done outside of the home
Keep young children away
from space heaters— especially
if they are wearing night gowns
or other loose clothing that
can be easily ignited
Electric Heaters
Furnace inspected
prior to usage by a
licensed professional
Change furnace filters
on a regular basis
Keep trash and other
combustibles away from
the heating system
Make sure you turn the space
heater off before you go to bed.
Make sure you turn the space
heater off before you go to bed.
Other Fire Safety Tips
Follow the
manufacturer’s instructions
Be sure each level
of your home has a
working smoke alarm, and be
sure to check and clean it
on a monthly basis.
Never use fuel burning
appliances without proper
room venting.
Burning fuel
(coal, kerosene, propane)
can produce deadly fumes
Use ONLY fuel recommended
by the heater manufacturer.
Using the wrong fuel can
cause a heater to malfunction
Keep kerosene and other
flammable liquids stored in
approved metal containers
in a ventilated storage area
outside of the home
Contact the Talladega Fire Rescue Department at (256) 362-3149 for additional questions or concerns.
REMEMBER: FIRES START WHEN YOUR ATTENTION STOPS!!!
Summer Safety Tips
Turn Your Attention to Fire Prevention,
Outdoor Grilling Safety Tips:
The Talladega Fire Department encourages chefs to pay attention to safety in the summer months when home fires involving grilling incidents occur most often. Nearly half of the people who grill do so year-round. July is the peak month for grilling fires followed by May, June and August. Each year an average of 8,800 home fires are caused by grilling and close to half of all injuries involving grills are due to burns from hot objects.
Key Points
Gas grills contribute
to a higher number of home
fires overall than their
charcoal counterparts
Keep grills 15 feet from
combustibles, including the
outside of your house,
balcony or garage
Keep trash and other
combustibles away from
the heating system
Gas grills contribute
to a higher number of home
fires overall than their
charcoal counterparts
Keep grills 15 feet from
combustibles, including the
outside of your house,
balcony or garage
Grilling Fire Safety: FEMA Public Service Announcement