Home is a place where you and your family should feel safe and secure. Do you regularly check your home for fire safety hazards? You can take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones from fires in your home and prepare to get out safely should a fire occur. Please consider the following guidelines and prevent home fires!

Working smoke alarms save lives! Install smoke alarms on every level of your home and outside each sleeping area.

Test your smoke alarms every month and change the batteries when you change your clocks or whenever a detector "chirps" to signal power.

Plan and practice your home escape plan. Be sure to include two ways out of every room and designate an outside meeting place. Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.

If you must escape through smoke, crawl low on your hands and knees keeping your chin up, this is where the safest air will situate.

Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States. Never smoke in bed or when tired, intoxicated, or on medications that cause drowsiness. Use large, non-tip ashtrays and soak butts and ashes in water before discarding.

Never leave cooking areas unattended. Keep the cooking area clear of combustible materials. Enforce a "kid-free zone" three feet around your stove, and turn handles inward.

Keep portable heaters and space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn. Keep children and pets away from heaters and make sure all heaters are off before you leave your home or go to bed.

Routinely check your electrical cords for signs of wear. Replace them if they are frayed or cracked. care not to pinch cords behind furniture or under rugs.

Keep matches and lighters out of reach and sight. Teach your children that they should only be used by adults.

Keep candles at least three feet from anything that can burn including curtains, tablecloths, and paper. Make sure they are fully extinguished before you leave the room or go to sleep.