Lombard Fire Department offers dducation on fire safety

LOMBARD, Illinois—The Lombard Fire Marshal's office would like to offer five simple things that can be done to stop a fire before it starts.

1. Do a smoke alarm audit

• Install at least one UL-listed smoke alarm on every level of your home.

• Check that alarms are installed on ceilings or high on walls.

• For ceiling mounted, make sure they are four inches away from the nearest wall.

• For wall mounted, check that they are four to 12 inches down from the ceiling.

• Test smoke alarms weekly and replace batteries twice a year.

• Replace alarms that are more than 10 years old or have been painted over.

• Test that you can hear alarms in every room of the house, even with the doors closed.

• Mark your calendar for the next testing date.

2. Make extinguishers handy.

• Check that you have at least one UL-listed fire extinguisher in the home.

• Examine the gauge to be sure that it is still fully charged.

• Familiarize yourself with the instructions now when there is no emergency.

3. Talk prevention with your kids and make sure your kids know:

• Never play with matches, lighters or candles.

• Never play with electrical cords and never put anything in a socket.

• Blankets or clothes should never be thrown on tops of lamps.

• Don't turn up a heater without a grown-up's permission.

• If your clothes catch on fire, stop, drop and roll.

4. Look at your home from your child's perspective

• Tour your home from your child's perspective on your hands and knees.

• Identify potential hazards and move/replace/adjust accordingly.

• Check closets and other “secret” kid places for evidence of playing with fire.

5. Avoid overloading sockets and cords.

• Conduct a walk-through of your home looking for overloaded sockets or extension cords.

• Check wattage on lamps and cords to avoid overloading.