Families, especially those with young children, should have a fire escape routine and practice it regularly. Make sure everyone has planned escape routes out of the building and knows to meet in a defined meeting area such as a tree, fence corner, etc. Never reenter a burning house. Having fire extinguishers in your home and on the farm does not relieve you and family members from the responsibilities of taking precautions to prevent fires, nor do fire extinguishers take the place of trained fire department personnel. A fire extinguisher is designed to reduce the chances of injury and death to you and family members during the time it takes to leave the structure and for trained help to arrive in the event of an accidental fire.
Smoke detectors are essential to early detection of a fire.
Install and maintain them according to manufacturer s instructions. This document is part of the Safety News Series, Agricultural Engineering Department, Michigan State University Extension, East Lansing, Michigan, 48824-1323. Howard J. Doss, Safety Leader, Agricultural Engineering Department, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1323. This information is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names does not imply endorsement by the MSU Extension or bias against those not mentioned.