Evening star., 1921-10-08
URGE CARE IN HOME
WHEN NL|GHT|NGF|RE
Safety First Letter Tells
Useful Citizens How to Keep
From Being Angels.

An open letter to the people OF
Washington asking them to exercise
care in operating stoves and furnaces
during the winter months was issued
by the fire prevention committee to-
day.
The letter is the opening gun in n
vigorous Seven-day fire-prevention
campaign, which begins tomorrow
with an appeal from the pulpits of the
city's churches.
committee calls attention TO numer-
Gus precautions. which. although small
in themselves. go far toward prevent
ing fire. The appeal follows:
AT this season of the year. when,
for the first time in many months you
start your furnace and stove fires
open CRATES. gas and oil heaters, you
should be especially careful and dill
gent to see that everything in connec-
ton with the heating apparatus in
your homes is properly set and ready
to properly and safely perform the
functions for which the devices are
used.
Whether your furnace is located in
your cellar or basement. all trash,
rubbish. waste paper and other in
fiammable material should be remov-
ed from your cellars and easements,
the entire year in preventing an ac-
cumulation of trash. rubbish, old
papers, etc, in cellars and in and
about your premises. Many disas-
trous fires originate by carelessness
and oversight on the part of house,
keepers, and especially on the part of
business concerns in the order in
which cellars are kept where fur
naces or other heating apparatus are
installed.
Remove All SCOT.
"See that all SCOT is removed from
your furnace and stovepipes. that the
SCOT is removed from chimneys. that
pipes are in good condition; that all
woodwork contiguous to the heating
apparatus is covered with tin, gall
vanized iron or asbestos.
Watch the draughts. See that the
overheated.
use only safety matches in your
house
"In putting away summer clothing
for the season see that you take from
the pockets all matches. Remove
even the safety matches. Let your
slogan be safety first" Keep
matches, even the safety variety. in
a stone crock, or receptacle Of tin
or other freproof material. Place
, matches where the children cannot
find or reach them.
after lighting fire or gas jet, if
stove or furnace is convenient. throw
used match in the fire; never throw 1t
, ficient time to be sure the match is
not burning.
Cigar and cigarette smokers (both
men and women of the last Variety
are too careless with their cigar and
cigarette butts. II smoking in the
hAs no k4 aot
ceiver handy. into which you should
place your cigar and cigarette butts,
whether they are still lighted or not.
You never can tell when dead cigar
or cigarette butt will come to life
and burn UP something you don't
"See that your cook does not use
kerosene or gasoline or other get-the-
fire-quick material I'm lighting your
fires. Starting fires with coal oil,
etc, Is one of the speedy methods for
making angels. and also splendid
times all Of your worldly possessions
to ashes
"when you get a whin of escaping
gas don't look for 1t with lighted
match. You cannot see It with a
light. but You may feel it. At all
| will grace the front page Of the news
papers. but you will have gone
hence, never to return.
I'VE may 20 on and on with don'ts,
and we could caution you by citing
cases where just little thought or
just jot of care might have pre-
vented the loss Of many lives and
the saving Of many dollars in
property. but II you. dear people.
neighbors and friends. will be just a
little mite careful when using fire
about your homes and places Of
business we feel sure that the loss
Of life and property in the District
! Of Columbia will be very materially
, reduced in the week beginning
October 10. Monday. is the time to
resolve to be careful. II you have
been careful be more careful in the
future. put your resolution into
effect: Clean up your cellars and
garrets; remove from your premises
inside and out everything and any
thing which might in any way con-
tribute to helping cigar or cigarette
Do this and all of this in the name
Of safety Arst. and instruct your chill
dren and those under you to know
! that slogan and to remember it."