Fire Prevention Week is October 5 to 11th.
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 10,000 fires occurred in 2005 due to unattended appliances. The next leading causes include misuse of portable heaters and overloaded electrical outlets.
In 2005, a friend of mine lost everything in a fire. A $2.00 extension cord, got pinched between the wheel of a TV table and a bamboo rug. A 5 gallon jug of gas standing nearby ignited and the house and her belongings were a total loss.
So during fire prevention week we are reminded to:
> Make sure your house has smoke detectors, in the hallway and near the bedrooms. Be sure to test smoke detectors every 6 months to be sure batteries are still working.
> Make sure there is no clutter around your water heater.
> Keep cigarette lighters and matches out of reach of children.
> Do not leave the lit stove unattended.
> Be sure that lint traps and dryer vents hoses are cleaned regularly.
Take a few minutes to look around your house and see what you can do to make it a little bit safer.
that for you
Sandy,
I have actually walked away from the stove.... It is so easy to be distracted.
Ann
Hey Ann, Well, I'm sorry to say, that so have I. With teenagers in the house some often we have 20 things going on at once, and it's easy to just walk away and head to the computer for a minute or help with homework. On the other hand, I am really a fanatic when it comes to checking the stove when I leave the house. I have to turn around and go back in, to see for myself that I remembered to turn it off before I get in the car ( a little bit of OCD going on there, maybe?)