Kissimmee Fire Department

In the Finest Tradition …Courage, Compassion and Community

Fire Prevention Week
October 4-10, 2009

"Stay Fire Smart! Don't Get Burned"

Fire Prevention Week 2009 focuses on simple safety messages that will prevent fires in homes and painful burns.  The Kissimmee Fire Department encourages all residents and visitors to follow some simple safety tips to stay safe. 

Don’t Get Burned

• Keep hot foods and liquids away from tables and counter edges, so they cannot be pulled or knocked over
• Establish a three-foot “kids-free” zone around the stove
• Never hold a child in your arms while preparing hot food or drinking a hot beverage
• Teach children that hot things can cause pain
• Be careful when using things that get hot, such as curling irons, oven, irons, lamps, heaters, etc.
• When using heating pads, only use them for 15-20 minutes at a time and don’t lie, sit or place anything on the pad

Just Right?

• To avoid scalds, set the thermostat setting in your water heater to no higher than 120 degrees F
• Remember young children and older adults can burn their skin more easily
• Consider having “anti-scald” devices on tub faucets and shower heads to prevent scalds
• Test the water before placing a child or yourself in the tub
• Never leave young children alone in the tub, shower or near a sink
• Be careful about scalding water. The water should feel warm, not hot. Before you put your child in the tub, test the temperature with your wrist, elbow or the back of your hand. Don't rely on a tub with a temperature indicator, such as a drain plug that changes color to indicate too hot, too cold and just right. If you're using a thermometer with a read-out, infant bath water should be no more than 100 degrees. Even when using a thermometer use your wrist, elbow or the back of your hand as your main guide.

Cool a Burn

• Treat a burn immediately. Apply cool water to the burned area for three to five minutes. Cover with a clean, dry cloth.
• If the burn is larger than your fist or if you have any questions, please seek medical help immediately
• Remove all clothing, diapers, jewelry, and metal from the burned area

Cooking with Caution

• The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking
• Pay attention to what you are cooking. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food.
• When you are simmering, boiling, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly, stay inside and use a timer to remind you
• If you must leave the room even for a short time, turn off the stove
• If you have young children, use the stove’s back burners whenever possible
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove
• When you cook, wear clothing with tight-fitting or short sleeves
• Allow food prepared in a microwave oven to cool down for a few minutes, before you take it out
• Open microwaved food slowly. Hot steam from the container can cause burns.

Take it Outside

• Ask smokers to smoke outside
• Give smokers deep, sturdy ashtrays
• Never smoke if you are tired, have taken medicine, drugs, or alcohol that makes you feel sleepy
• Keep smoking materials away from flammable items, such as bedding, furniture, curtains, and clothing

Stay Grounded

• Keep lamps, light fixtures and light bulbs away from anything that is flammable, such as lamp shades, bedding, curtains, and clothing
• Replace cracked and damaged electrical cords
• Use extension cords for temporary wiring only. Consider having additional circuits or receptacles added by a qualified electrician.
• If you have young children in your home have tamper-resistant electrical receptacles
• Call a qualified electrician or landlord if you have recurring problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breakers, discolored or warm wall outlets, flickering lights, or a burning or rubbery smell coming from an appliance

Neighborhood Watch

• With the economic downturn, it is important to keep a watchful eye on your neighborhood. Encourage your community to implement an anti-arson program.
• Keep trash from collecting on your property
• Remove abandoned vehicles from your property
• Remove dead branches that could be used as a fuel source

Fire-Safety Basics

• Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home. For the best protection, interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.
• For best protection use both photoelectric and ionization technology. You can use individual ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or combination units that contain both technologies in the same unit.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month, using the test button
• Replace smoke alarms every 10 years
• Make sure everyone can hear the sound of the smoke alarms
• Have a home fire escape plan. Know at least two ways out of each room, if possible, and a meeting place outside. Practice your escape plan twice a year.
• When the smoke alarm sounds, get out and stay out
• If you are building or remodeling your home, consider a home fire sprinkler system
• If you live in the City of Kissimmee and would like information regarding our smoke alarm installation program, please call the Fire and Life Safety Hotline at 407.518.2585 or send an e-mail to LifeSafety@kissimmee.org

Teachers, please access the link below to take the Fire Prevention Week- Participation Survey

http://www.kissimmee.org/WorkArea/cmsform.aspx?action=ViewForm&folder_id=32&form_id=6660&LangType=1033&callerpage=content.aspx&origurl=action%3dViewContentByCategory%26id%3d32

Lesson Plans for teachers:

     K-2 Grade Lesson #1: Home Inspections 
     K-2 Grade Lesson #2: Ready, Set, Safety! Relay 
     K-2 Grade Lesson #3: Create Your Plan 
     3-6 Grade Lesson #1: Situation Smart 
     3-6 Grade Lesson #2: Know the Plan 
     3-6 Grade Lesson #3: Birthday Party Fire Leaves Family Homeless 
     3-6 Grade Lesson #4: Inspect to Prevent 
     3-6 Grade Lesson #5: Create a Home Fire Escape Plan 

If you are a teacher in the City of Kissimmee and would like to request an educational program, during the month of October for Fire Prevention Week, please call Megan Shephard, public education coordinator, at 407.518.2222 or send an e-mail to mshephard@kissimmee.org 

Check the Web site each week for updates about lesson plans, contests and other resources to keep our children and community safe!