Firefighters Say: Change Your Clock, Change Your Batteries!

Firefighters know the importance of home fire safety. That's why the men and women of your Los Angeles Fire Department urge you to change all of the batteries in your home smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors when you change your clocks back to Standard Time this weekend.

Daylight Saving Time ends at 2:00 AM this Sunday, November 3, 2013 - and all clocks should be set back one hour - after you change the batteries in your life saving devices!

So you know about the "Change Your Clock, Change Your Battery ®" campaign, but...

Do you know when your smoke alarms should be retired?

Yes, we said "retired." Think about it. Your smoke alarms work every minute of every day. After millions of sensing cycles, they should be retired. To learn more about the service life of smoke alarms and more ways to keep your family safe from fire, please visit:

http://bit.ly/smoke_alarms

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

What Type of Smoke Alarms Are In Your Home?

Did you know there are different types of smoke alarms that are better at alerting you to different types of fires?

Ionization smoke alarms are sensitive to small smoke particles in the air, produced by fast-burning fires. Photoelectric smoke alarms use beams of light and sensors to detect larger smoke particles produced by smoldering fires.

The Los Angeles Fire Department and U.S. Fire Administration recommend dual-sensor alarms that function as both.

Since a working smoke alarm can save your life, it's important to test every smoke alarm in your home monthly by activating the test button. Change the batteries in all of your smoke alarms at least once a year, perhaps when you change your clocks for Daylight Saving Time.

And finally, your smoke alarms work every minute of every day. After millions of sensing cycles, they can become less sensitive. It is important to replace any smoke alarm in your home that is more than 10 years old.

For further information, visit:

usfa.fema.gov

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

LAFD Offers Halloween Night Safety Checklist

In addition to our earlier list of tips for Halloween week preparedness, your neighborhood firefighters ask you to take a moment now - before nightfall - to review this checklist:

BEFORE NIGHTFALL ON HALLOWEEN:

• A good meal prior to parties and trick-or-treating will discourage youngsters from filling up on Halloween treats.
• Consider fire safety when decorating. Do not overload electrical outlets or block doors with holiday lighting or special effects.
• Avoid the use of candles. Battery powered lamps and chemical glow sticks are a much safer alternative.
• Quickly test smoke alarms and identify the location of fire extinguishers.
• Always keep Jack O' Lanterns and hot electric lamps far away from drapes, decorations, flammable items or areas near children and pets.
• Plan and review with children the route and behavior acceptable to you.
• Do not permit children to bicycle, roller-blade or skateboard.
• Agree on a specific time when revelers must return home.
• Along with flashlights for all, older children and escorts should carry a phone.
• Secure, segregate or otherwise prepare household pets for an evening of frightful sights and sounds. Be sure that all dogs and cats are wearing collars and proper identification tags.
• Remind all household drivers to remain cautious and drive slowly.
• Adult partygoers should establish and reward a designated driver.

WHEN TRICK-OR-TREATING:

• A responsible adult should always accompany young children on neighborhood rounds. Do not allow escorts to chat on the phone or use headphones.
• Remind Trick-or-Treaters:
• Use a flashlight and glow sticks, to see and be seen by others.
• Stay in a group, walk slowly and communicate where you are going.
• Only trick-or-treat in well known neighborhoods at homes that have a porch light on.
• Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
• If no sidewalk is available, walk at the farthest edge of the roadway facing traffic.
• Never cut across yards, use alleys or run between parked cars.
• Never enter a stranger's home or car for a treat.
• Obey all traffic and pedestrian regulations.
• Always walk. Never run across a street.
• Only cross the street as a group at intersection crosswalks. Always look left, right and left again to assure safety before proceeding.
• Remove any mask or item that will limit eyesight before crossing a street, driveway or alley.
• Don't assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing Trick-or-Treaters.
• Make eye contact with drivers. Just because one car stops, doesn't mean others will.
• Never consume unwrapped food items or open beverages that may be offered.
• No treats are to be eaten until they are thoroughly checked by an adult at home.
• Law Enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity.

AFTER TRICK-OR-TREATING:

• Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.
• Try to apportion treats for the days following Halloween.
• Although sharing is encouraged, make sure items that can cause choking (such as hard candies), are given only to those of an appropriate age.

We hope this checklist and earlier posted tips for pre-Halloween planning help keep your family safe. The Los Angeles Fire Department wishes you a Happy Halloween!


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

Don't Let Scary Become Deadly: Help LAFD Prevent Halloween Fires

The celebration of Halloween is anything but a holiday for firefighters in Los Angeles and across our nation. Along with senseless injuries, such as alcohol related car crashes and trick-or-treaters struck by vehicles, is an increase in fires that can cause injury or take lives.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration, for each year between 2009 and 2011, an estimated 11,300 fires were reported to Fire Departments in the United States over a three-day period around Halloween. These fires caused an estimated 30 deaths, 175 injuries and $96 million in property loss.


Halloween fires occur most frequently in the late afternoon and early evening hours, peaking during the dinner hours between 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM. Fires then begin a slow decline, reaching their lowest statistical point between 4:00 AM and 7:00 AM.



The leading causes of Halloween residential fires include cooking (43%) and heating (15%). Careless and inappropriate action also leads to Halloween fires, as does the use of candles, hot lamps and overloaded electric circuits near highly flammable seasonal decorations.

The Los Angeles Fire Department asks you to survey your home for holiday hazards, and to take the steps necessary to keep your home and family safe this Halloween.


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

30 Seconds of Prevention: Know How to Prevent Kitchen Fires and Burns

The Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department are joined by the world renowned Grossman Burn Centers in asking you to take just..

30 Seconds of Prevention

...to keep your family safe from kitchen fires and burn injuries. Inspector Tony Akins of the Los Angeles County Fire Department explains:


Prevent Kitchen Burns and Fires

• Cooking aromas entice children and pets to dangerous areas of the kitchen.
• Enforce a child and pet free zone at least 3 feet from your stove and ovens.
• Never serve or sample hot food directly to children from the stove top.
• Cook on back burners whenever possible, and turn pot handles away.
• Avoid dangling cords from cooking appliances.
• Keep your stove top clean and flammable kitchen items away.
• Carry and serve hot foods and liquids carefully in your home.

If You Suffer a Burn Injury

• Cool the burn with water. Do not apply ice, butter, ointments or home remedies.
• Cover the burn with a clean dry cloth.
• Contact a healthcare professional promptly. For a serious burn call 9-1-1.

With a focus on preventing kitchen fires and burn injuries, our month-long campaign addresses the leading cause of reported home fires and related injuries requiring medical care. Your hometown and neighborhood firefighters and staff at the Grossman Burn Centers encourage you to learn more at:

http://bit.ly/cooking_safely

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

30 Seconds of Prevention: Heating Your Home Safely

The Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department are joined by the world renowned Grossman Burn Centers in asking you to take just..

30 Seconds of Prevention

...to keep your family safe from burn injuries. LAFD Captain Jaime Moore explains:


Home Heating Mistakes Can Be Deadly

• Never use an oven, stove top or barbeque to heat your home.
• Make sure you have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Test them monthly, and practice your escape from fire.
• Be especially careful with portable space heaters in any room.

If You Suffer a Burn Injury

• Cool the burn with water. Do not apply ice, butter, ointments or home remedies.
• Cover the burn with a clean dry cloth.
• Contact a healthcare professional promptly. For a serious burn or any emergency, call 9-1-1.

With a focus on preventing kitchen fires and burn injuries, our month-long campaign addresses the leading cause of reported home fires and related injuries that require medical care. Your hometown and neighborhood firefighters and staff at the Grossman Burn Centers encourage you to learn more at:

http://bit.ly/cooking_safely

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

Firefighters Urge Pre-Halloween Safety Planning

The men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department want your Halloween celebration to be memorable for all the right reasons. Our friends at Safe Kids Worldwide explain...

Help firefighters and paramedics by following and sharing these LAFD safety tips!

BEFORE HALLOWEEN:

• Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
• Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
• Secure emergency identification (name, address, phone number) discreetly within Halloween attire or on a bracelet.
• When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories, purchase only those with a label indicating they are flame resistant.
• Because a mask can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic and hypoallergenic makeup or a decorative hat as a safe alternative.
• Do not use decorative contact lenses without consulting a qualified eye care professional.
• Think twice before using simulated knives, guns or swords. If such props must be used, be certain they do not appear authentic and are soft and flexible to prevent injury.
• Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries and glow sticks for all children and their escorts.
• While children can help with designing a Jack O' Lantern, leave the carving to adults.
• Avoid Halloween related fires by purchasing small battery powered lamps or chemical glow sticks for use in decorations and costumes.
• This is also a great time to buy fresh batteries for your home Smoke Alarms.
• Teach children their home phone number and to how call 9-1-1 if they have an emergency or become lost.
• Review with your children the principle of "Stop-Drop-Roll", should their clothes catch on fire.
• Openly discuss appropriate and inappropriate behavior at Halloween time.
• Consider purchasing individually packaged healthy food alternatives (or safe non-food treats) for those who visit your home.
• Take extra effort to eliminate tripping hazards on your porch and walkway. Check your property for flower pots, low tree limbs, support wires or garden hoses that may prove hazardous to young children rushing from house to house.
• Plan now to protect your pets from frightful sights, sounds and hazards.
• Learn or review CPR skills to aid someone who is choking or having a heart attack.
• Consider safe party guidelines when hosting an adult or office party.

Think of unique ways you can safely share the fun in your neighborhood!

PLAN FUN ALTERNATIVES:

• Find a special event or start one in your own neighborhood.
• Community centers, shopping malls and houses of worship may have organized festivities.
• Share the fun by arranging a visit to a retirement home or senior center.
• Create an alliance with college fraternities, sororities or service clubs for children's face painting or a carnival.

We hope these preparedness tips for the days leading up to Halloween are helpful in planning a safe celebration. We're pleased to offer a separate LAFD Halloween Night Safety Checklist for the hours before nightfall on October 31!


Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department

30 Seconds of Prevention: Basic Kitchen Safety

The Los Angeles Fire Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department are joined by the world renowned Grossman Burn Centers in asking you to take just..

30 Seconds of Prevention

...to keep your family safe from burn injuries. LAFD Captain Jaime Moore explains:


Basic Cooking Rules and Kitchen Clean-up Prevents Fires

• Never leave food unattended while cooking on the stove.
• Clean all cooled stove and oven surfaces once cooking is completed.
• Follow manufacturer instructions for stove and oven cleaning and maintenance.

If You Suffer a Burn Injury

• Cool the burn with water. Do not apply ice, butter, ointments or home remedies.
• Cover the burn with a clean dry cloth.
• Contact a healthcare professional promptly. For significant burns, call 9-1-1.

With a focus on preventing kitchen fires and burn injuries, our month-long campaign addresses the leading cause of reported home fires and related injuries that require medical care. Your hometown and neighborhood firefighters and staff at the Grossman Burn Centers encourage you to learn more at:

http://bit.ly/cooking_safely

Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department