CPSC recommends consumers follow these safety tips to prevent fires and CO poisonings from occurring in the home:
FIRES
- Never leave cooking equipment unattended.
- Use caution with candles, lighters, matches, and smoking materials near upholstered furniture, mattresses, and bedding. Keep matches and lighters out of reach of young children.
- Have a fire escape plan and practice it so family members know what to do and where to meet if there’s a fire in the home. Children and the elderly may sleep through or not react to the sound of a smoke alarm, so parents and caregivers should adjust their fire escape plan to help them escape the house in the event of a fire.
CO POISONING
- Have a professional inspect home heating, cooling and water heating appliances annually. Improperly operating appliances can product fatal CO concentrations in the home.
- Never ignore an alarming CO alarm. It is warning you of a potentially deadly hazard. If the alarm signal sounds do not try to find the source of the CO. Immediately move outside to fresh air. Call your emergency services, fire department, or 911.
- Never use a portable generator indoors – including garages, basements, crawlspaces, and sheds. Opening doors and windows or using fans will not prevent CO buildup in the home.
- During use, keep portable generators outdoors and far away from open doors, windows and vents, which can allow toxic levels of CO to build up indoors.
- If you start to feel sick, dizzy or weak while using a generator, get to fresh air right away. The CO from generators can readily lead to full incapacitation and death.
- Never use charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal levels of carbon monoxide.
For more information, visit www.FireSafety.gov, for fire safety information from CPSC and other federal agencies.