This week was Fire Prevention Week and during it Norfolk Fire Marshal Keith Byrne urged residents to practice fire safety in their homes. His page on this website offers practical tips that can help keep homes safe.
First, the Litchfield County Fire Marshals Association has a video with recommendations for preventing kitchen fires. Among other tips, it cautions that kitchen fires most often stem from unattended stovetop cooking and urge cooks to turn off burners if they must leave the kitchen for any reason.
Lithium-ion batteries represent a growing home hazard. They are prone to create fires that grow quickly and are hard to put out. If one occurs, the home occupants should leave the building and call 911 from outside.
When buying a device charged with a lithium battery, look for the stamp of a nationally recognized testing lab to ensure it meets safety standards. Always use the cables that came with the device to charge it and follow instructions from the manufacturer. Unplug the device when it is fully charged and charge large devices such as electric bikes, scooters and power tools outside.
To dispose of the batteries, tape the positive (+) side of the used battery with clear packing tape, electrical tape or duct tape and put it in a clear plastic bag. Visit call2recycle.org to find the nearest drop-off location. Do not put it in the trash or normal recycling receptacles.
Smoke alarms can save lives, but only if they work properly. Test all alarms monthly by pushing their test buttons. Install them in every bedroom, in hallways and on each level of the house, including the basement. For best protection, they should be interconnected.
Look for alarms with new enhanced sensing technology, as these alarms detect fires faster and help reduce false alarms often caused by cooking. When the smoke alarm sounds, leave the building before calling 911.