House fires and burns are the third leading cause of unintentional home injury and related deaths. Fire safety begins with everyone in your home being prepared for a fire and practicing fire safety. The home fire prevention tips below will go a long way helping the homeowner reduce the chance of fires and fire related injuries in the home:

Prevent Cooking Fires

Always stay in the kitchen while cooking.

Keep things that can burn at least three feet away from the range top.

Before beginning to cook, roll up sleeves and always use oven mitts. Loose fitting clothes can touch a hot burner and catch on fire.

Stay by the grill when cooking. Your grill may stay hot for a long time after it is turned off so keep children away from hot grills.

Keep grills at least ten feet away from other objects such as the house and any shrubs.

Prevent Fires Caused by Matches & Lighters:

Store matches and lighters in a locked cabinet out of the reach of children.

If you must keep matches or lighters in your jacket or purse, put them in a place where children cannot see or touch them.

Prevent Space Heater and Heating Systems Fires:

Space heaters need space to avoid fires. Keep them at least three feet away from anything that can burn such as curtains or newspaper.

Always turn off heaters when leaving the room or going to bed.

Have a service professional inspect the furnace, chimneys, fireplace, wood and coal stoves once a year.

Have the heating systems cleaned when necessary.

Prevent Candle Fires:

Only light candles when an adult is in the room. Do not allow children to keep candles or incense in their rooms.

Always use stable candle holders made of material that won't catch fire such as metal or glass.

Extinguish candles when adults leave the room.

Prevent Fires Caused by Gasoline and Other Products:

Gasoline is very dangerous. Inside a garage or home gasoline vapors can explode with just a tiny spark.

Always use a safety container and store it outside of the house or garage.

Never refuel gasoline powered items inside the garage or home.

Additional Fire Prevention Tips:

Have a house fire escape plan for your family. Find two exits out of every room. Pick a meeting place outside. Hold a family fire drill at least twice each year.
Install smoke alarms on every level of your home.
Put them inside or near every bedroom. Test them monthly to make sure they work. Put in new batteries once a year.
Know how to put out a small pan fire by sliding a lid over the flames.
Teach children how and when to use a fire extinguisher.

See more Safety projects and ideas.