Prepare for a Fire

House Fire

• Make digital copies of valuable documents and records like birth certificates.
• If you are insured, contact your insurance company for detailed instructions on protecting your property, conducting inventory and contacting fire damage restoration companies.
• Create and practice a fire escape plan.
  • Practice your home fire escape plan twice a year.
  • Find two ways to get out of each room in the event the primary way is blocked by fire or smoke.
  • Make sure that windows are not stuck, screens can by taken out quickly and then security bars can be properly opened.
  • Practice feeling your way out of the house in the dark or with your eyes closed.
  • Teach children not to hide from firefighters.
  • If you use a walker or wheelchair, check all exits to be sure you can get through the doorways.
• Sleep with your bedroom door closed.
• Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. Contact your local fire department for assistance on proper use and maintenance.
• Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your residence.

Wildfire

• Recognize warnings and alerts.
• Pay attention to air quality alerts.
• Make an emergency plan and make sure everyone in your household knows and understands what to do if you need to quickly evacuate.
• Don’t forget a plan for the office, kids’ daycare or anywhere you frequent.
• Make digital copies of valuable documents and records like birth certificates.
• If you are insured, contact your insurance company for detailed instructions on protecting your property, conducting inventory and contacting fire damage restoration companies.
• Strengthen your home.
  • Use fire-resistant materials when building, renovating, or repairing.
  • Find an outdoor water source with a hose that can reach any area of your property.
  • Create a fire-resistant zone that is free of leaves, debris, or flammable materials for at least 30 feet from your home.
  • Designate a room that can be closed off from outside air. Close all doors and windows. Set up a portable air cleaner to keep indoor pollution levels low when smoky conditions exist.
• Learn your evacuation routes, practice with household including pets and identify where you will go.
• Follow instructions from local authorities.
• Have enough supplies for your household, including a first aid kit, in your go bag or car trunk.

During a Fire

House Fire

• Drop down to the floor and crawl low, under any smoke to your exit. Heavy smoke and poisonous gases collect first along the ceiling.
• Before opening a door, feel the doorknob and door. If either is hot, or if there is smoke coming around the door, leave the door closed and use your second way out.
• If you open a door, open it slowly. Be ready to shut it quickly if heavy smoke or fire is present.
• If you can’t get to someone needing assistance, leave the home and call 9-1-1 or the fire department. Tell the emergency operator where the person is located.
• If pets are trapped inside your home, tell firefighters right away.
• If you can’t get out, close the door and cover vents and cracks around doors with cloth or tape to keep smoke out. Call 9-1-1 or your fire department. Say where you are and signal for help at the window with a light-colored cloth or a flashlight.
• If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop and roll – stop immediately, drop to the ground and cover your face with your hands. Roll over and over or back and forth until the fire is out. If you or someone else cannot stop, drop and roll, smother the flames with a blanket or towel. Use cool water to treat the burn immediately for three to five minutes. Cover with a clean, dry cloth. Get medical help right away by calling 9-1-1 or the fire department.

Wildfire

• Pay attention to emergency alerts and notifications for information and instructions.
• Evacuate immediately if authorities tell you to do so.
• If trapped, call 9-1-1 and give your location, but be aware that emergency response could be delayed or impossible. Turn on the lights to help rescuers find you.
• Use an N95 mask to protect yourself from smoke inhalation or limit your exposure to smoke by doing the following:
  • Choose a room to close off from outside air and set up a portable air cleaner or filter to keep the air in this room clean even when it’s smoky in the rest of the building and outdoors.
  • Use high efficiency filters in your central air conditioning system to capture fine particles from smoke. If your system has fresh air intake, set the system to “recirculate” mode and close the outdoor intake damper.
  • If you are not ordered to evacuate but smoky conditions exist, stay inside in a safe location or go to a community building where smoke levels are lower.
• If you are sick and need medical attention, contact your healthcare provider for further care instructions and shelter in place, if possible.

Stay Safe After

House Fire

• Contact your local disaster relief service, such as The Red Cross, if you need temporary housing, food, and medicines.
• Check with the fire department to make sure your residence is safe to enter.
• DO NOT attempt to reconnect utilities yourself. The fire department should make sure that utilities are either safe to use or are disconnected before they leave the site. 
• Conduct an inventory of damaged property and items. Do not throw away any damaged goods until after you make the inventory of your items.
• Begin saving receipts for any money you spend related to fire loss. The receipts may be needed later by the insurance company and for verifying losses claimed on your income tax.
• Notify your mortgage company of the fire.

Wildfire

• Do not return home until authorities say it is safe to do so.
• Avoid hot ash, charred trees, smoldering debris and live embers. The ground may contain heat pockets that can burn you or spark another fire.
• When cleaning, wear protective clothing – including a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, work gloves and sturdy thick-soled shoes – during clean-up efforts.
• Use a respirator to limit your exposure, and wet debris to minimize breathing dust particles. People with asthma, COPD and/or other lung conditions should take precautions in areas with poor air quality, as it can worsen symptoms.
• Document property damage with photographs. Conduct an inventory and contact your insurance company for assistance.
• Send text messages or use social media to reach out to family and friends. Phone systems are often busy following a disaster. Make calls only in emergencies.

Tips for Preventing a House Fire

Cooking

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. Turn off the stove if you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time.
• Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking.
• Position barbecue grills at least 10 feet away from siding and deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Keep a fire extinguisher available.

Electrical and Appliances

• Frayed wires can cause fires. Replace all worn, old or damaged appliance cords immediately and do not run cords under rugs or furniture.
• If an appliance has a three-prong plug, use it only in a three-slot outlet. Never force it to fit into a two-slot outlet or extension cord.
• Immediately shut off, then professionally replace, light switches that are hot to the touch and lights that flicker.
• Never use a stove range or oven to heat your home. It can increase the risk of fires, burns and could damage the appliance. Gas stoves are especially dangerous to use as heat sources because dangerous levels of carbon monoxide could build up, putting you and your family at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Portable generators should NEVER be used indoors and should only be refueled outdoors and in well-ventilated areas.

Fireplaces and Woodstoves

• Inspect and clean woodstove pipes and chimneys annually and check monthly for damage or obstructions.
• Use a fireplace screen heavy enough to stop rolling logs and big enough to cover the entire opening of the fireplace to catch flying sparks.
• Make sure the fire is completely out before leaving the house or going to bed.

Portable Space Heaters

• Keep combustible objects at least three feet away from portable heating devices.
• Only buy heaters evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
• Check to make sure the portable heater has a thermostat control mechanism and will switch off automatically if the heater falls over.
• Only use crystal clear K-1 kerosene in kerosene heaters. Never overfill it. Use the heater in a well-ventilated room away from curtains and other flammable items.

Holiday Safety

• Turn off holiday lights at night or when you leave the house.
• Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections.
• Keep candles at least 12 inches away from flammable materials or consider using flameless candles.
• Water your Christmas tree daily and don’t let it dry out. A dry tree is more flammable. 
• Make sure your tree is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights, and not blocking an exit.
• Don’t overload extension cords and outlets.

Keeping Children Safe

• Take the mystery out of fire play by teaching children that fire is a tool, not a toy.
• Store matches and lighters out of children's reach and sight, preferably in a locked cabinet.
• Never leave children unattended near operating stoves or burning candles, even for a short time.

Additional Resources

Michigan DNR - Fire Safety

US Fire Administration

Smokey Bear

Sesame Street Family Guide - House fires

Sesame Street Family Guide - Wildfires

Ready.gov/home-fires

Ready.gov/wildfires