) AACTmn | a Abts | \\ Fire Safety Tips For Your Home (NAPSA)—Fire safety is no accident. Whetherit’s the glow of a single candle or the flames wrapping a bundle of woodin thefireplace, open flames can quickly turn from cozy to dangerous. Fire safety is of special concern during the winter months when thereis increased use of heat, electricity and appliances. Heatingis the second leading cause of residential fires and fire deaths. The U.S. Fire Administration offers the following tips to help reducefire hazards in your home and protect you and your family in the eventofa fire: Safe Heating: * Don’t use the oven to heat your home; it’s a fire hazard and source of toxic fumes. ONLY use the fuel recommended by the manufacturer. Neverrefill a space heater while it is operatingorstill hot. Space heaters need space. Keep combustibles at least three feet away from each heater. Have your furnace and chimney professionally inspected annually and cleanedif necessary. Keep fire in the fireplace. Use a glass or metal screen in front of yourfireplace. Dispose of ashes in metal working smoke alarm doubles your chancesof surviving fire. makesure they are in stable holders and place them where they can not be easily knocked over. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home. Having a working smoke alarm doubles your chances of survivinga fire. * Develop a fire escape plan with your household and practice it regularly. Know two ways to exit from every room in your home. containers away from the home. The United States Fire Administration, an entity of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and now part of the Department of Homeland Security, is the federal leader in public fire education rate or in case of a power outage, ing, fire-related technology and data collection. For further information on holiday fires or other fire safety topics, visit the USFA Website at www.usfa.fema.gov. Fire safety around the house: Don’t put flammable decorations close to heat sources. * Don’t overload your outlets. If you use lit candles to deco- and awareness, fire service train-
