Fire
Every year 5,500 Americans die in fires and more than
30,000 are injured. Most fire deaths occur in the home, and many
can be prevented. Fire safety practices save lives.
To protect yourself, it's important to understand the
basic characteristics of fire. Fire spreads quickly; there is no
time to grab valuables or make a phone calls. In just two minutes
a fire can become life-threatening. In five minutes a house can be
engulfed in flames.
A fire's heat and smoke are even more dangerous than
the flames -- inhaling the super-hot air can sear your lungs. Fire
produces poisonous gases that make you disoriented and drowsy.
Instead of being awakened by a fire, you may fall into a deeper sleep.
Fire Safety Tips
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Install smoke detectors. Working smoke
detectors double your chances of surviving a fire.
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Place smoke detectors on every level of your
house; outside bedrooms on the ceiling or high on the wall, at
the top of open stairways or at the bottom of enclosed stairs
and near [but not in] the kitchen.
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Clean smoke detectors once a month and
replace batteries at least once a year.
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With your family, plan two escape routes
from every room in the house. Practice escaping from each
room.
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Make sure windows are not nailed or painted
shut. Make sure security gratings on windows have a fire
safety opening feature so that they can be easily opened from
the inside.
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Teach family members to stay low to the floor
[where the air is safer in a fire] when escaping from a fire.
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Pick a place outside your home for the family
to meet after escaping from a fire.
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Clean out storage areas. Don't let
trash such as old newspapers and magazines accumulate.
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Check electrical wiring.
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Inspect extension cords for frayed or exposed
wires or loose plugs.
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Do not overload extension cords or outlets.
If you need to plug in two or three appliances, get a
UL-approved unit with built-in circuit breakers to prevent
sparks and short circuits.
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Never use gasoline, benzine, naptha or
similar liquids indoors.
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Store them in approved containers and
well-ventilated storage areas.
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Never smoke near flammable liquids.
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After use, safely discard all rags or
materials soaked in flammable material.
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Check heating sources. Many home
fires are started by faulty furnaces or stoves, cracked or rusted
furnace parts and chimneys with creosote build-up. Make sure
your home heating source is clean and in working order. Call
professionals for help if necessary.
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Use caution when using alternative heating
sources, such as wood, coal and kerosene heaters and electrical
space heaters.
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Ensure proper ventilation to the outside.
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Place heaters at least three feet away from
flammable materials.
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Make sure the floor and nearby walls are
properly insulated.
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Use only the type of fuel designated for your
unit and follow manufacturers' instructions.
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Store ashes in a metal container outside and
away from the house.
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Keep open flames away from walls, furnace,
drapery and any flammable items. Keep a screen in front of
the fireplace.
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Make sure home insulation does not touch
electrical wiring.
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Know the locations of the gas valve and
electric fuse or circuit breaker box and how to turn them off in an
emergency. If you shut off your main gas line for any reason,
allow only a gas company representative to turn it on again.
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Install A-B-C type fire extinguishers in
the home and teach family members how to use them.
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Ask your local fire department if they will
inspect your house for fire safety and prevention.
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Teach children how to report a fire and
when to use 9-1-1.
Wildland/Forest Fires
If you live in a wildland/forest area - on remote
hillsides, in valleys or forests where flammable vegetation is abundant,
your house could be a target for forest fires. Be prepared for
these intense fires, triggered by lightning or accidents, that sweep
through forest areas.
Practice forest fire safety:
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Use fire-resistant materials for building or
retrofitting structures.
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Create a safety zone which separates your home
from combustible plants and vegetation.
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Keep branches around your home free of dead or
dying wood and moss.
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Store combustible or flammable materials in
approved containers and keep them a safe distance from your home.
What to do in case of fire
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Use water or a fire extinguisher to put out small
fires. Do not try to put out a fire that is getting out of
control. If you're not sure if you can control it, get
everyone out of the house and call 9-1-1 from a neighbor's house.
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Never use water on an electrical fire.
Use only a fire extinguisher approved for electrical fires.
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Smother oil and grease fires in the kitchen
with baking soda or salt, or put a lid over the flame if it is
burning in a pan.
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If your clothes catch on fire, stop, drop
and roll until the fire is extinguished. Running only makes
the fire burn faster.
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Sleep with your door closed. If you
wake up to the sound of a smoke detector, feel the bottom of the
door with the palm of your hand before you open it.
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If the door is cool, leave immediately.
Be prepared to crawl. Smoke and heat rise, and the air is
clearer and cooler near the floor.
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If the door is hot, escape through a window.
If you cannot escape, hang a white or light-colored sheet
outside the window, alerting fire fighters to your presence.
What to do after a fire
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Do not enter a fire-damaged building unless
authorities say it is okay.
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When entering a fire-damaged building, look for
signs of heat or smoke.
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Have an electrician check your household wiring
before the current is turned back on. Do not attempt to
reconnect any utilities yourself. Leave this to the fire
department and other authorities.
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Beware of structural damage. Roofs and
floors may be weakened and need repair.
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The
American Red Cross, River Valley Chapter, provides hope and help
for house fire victims.
River Valley Chapter
1299 Pineview Drive, Suite 3
Morgantown, WV 26505
(304) 598-9500
(304) 598-9580 Fax
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Call your insurance agent.
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Keep records of all clean-up and repair
costs. Receipts are important for both insurance and
income tax claims.
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Do not throw away any damaged goods until an
official inventory has been taken. All damages are taken into
consideration by your insurance company.
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If you're a tenant, contact the landlord.
It's the property owner's responsibility to prevent further loss or
damage to the site.
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Secure personal belongings or move them to
another location.
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Discard food, beverages and medicines that have
been exposed to heat, smoke or soot. Refrigerators and
freezers left closed hold their temperature for a short time.
However, do not attempt to re-freeze food that has thawed.
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If you have a safe or strong box, do not try to
open it. It can hold intense heat for several hours. If
the door is opened before the box has cooled, the entering air
combined with the high internal temperature can cause the contents
to burst into flames.
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If a building inspector says the building is
unsafe and you must leave your home:
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Ask local police to watch the property during
your absence.
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Take with you identification, medicines,
glasses, jewelry, credit cards, checkbooks, insurance policies
and financial records.
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Notify friends, relatives, police and fire
departments, your insurance agent, the mortgage company, utility
companies, delivery services, employers, schools and the post
office of your whereabouts.
WV Burning Laws
WV burning law is in effect during the following
months:
Burning Laws In Brief:
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No burning until after 4PM. Fire must be
extinguished by 7AM the next morning.
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Fire must be attended at all times.
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Must be cleared down to mineral soil for a
minimum distance of 10 feet around what is being burned.
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If your fire escapes, you are liable for the
costs of fighting the fire and any damage the fire may do to other
property.
MAXIMUM FINE $300.00