Fire Safety is important. I researched how you can be safe and prevent a fire. I researched this because Montag in the story is a firefighter and he deals with fires.

Wood burning appliances are used more often. Experts do not recommend the purchase or installation of any wood burning stove unless it is air-tight and has controlled airflow. Your fire chief advises you that if you are burning a lot of wood, your stovepipe and chimney may have a heavy build up of creosote. If the creosote were to catch fire, your roof could catch fire too. Fireplace chimneys should be inspected and cleaned at least once a year, stovepipe chimneys once a month.

One of the most important things to have is an approved-type properly installed and maintained smoke detector. They are critical life saving devices. While a smoke detector won’t prevent or extinguish a fire, it can save your life. Smoke detectors are designed to warn of a fire and give you time to allow for escape or call for help. The ear-piercing alarm of the smoke detector may provide you and your family with the precious extra minutes that you need to escape, especially at night (when most fires occur).

When installing smoke detectors, the fire chief advises you to take the following steps:

1. Install at least one smoke detector in the hall leading to the bedrooms and a Carbon monoxide detector close to the furnace.
2. Consider installing additional smoke detectors, especially if your home has more than one level.
3. Make sure smoke detectors are of a type approved by Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada or other recognized testing laboratories.
4. If your detectors are battery operated, check the batteries often to make sure the units are operational.

Fire Drills are important and help plan for a real fire. Here are some other ways to plan for a real fire:

• Sketch the layout of each floor, including windows, doors, and stairways. Make sure that every family member is familiar with the layout.
• Work out TWO escape routes from each room and mark them clearly on the sketch.
• Hold frequent fire drills, including some at night, so everyone will know what to do and be able to act quickly in an emergency.
• Assign a member of the family to be responsible for the elderly or the very young to help them escape. A ‘buddy system’ should be organized to ensure their safety.
• Designate a meeting place outside of the home and instruct everyone to go there at once in case of fire.
• Count heads, stay together and DO NOT go back into the house for personal belongings.

You then have someone call the fire department from the nearest available phone by dialling 911.

Every year hundreds of people are killed or badly injured in fires where they live. The victims of fire are most often children, older people, or handicapped people. Many of these fires are the result of accidents that could have been prevented. Here are some rules for prevention

• Keep trash in covered containers and dispose it regularly.
• Store paints, paint thinners and other flammable materials in their original containers and in a well freshened area, away from all fire sources.
• Clean work areas of paint, sawdust, or trash after every project you do.
• Don’t overload circuits or use worn out electrical extension cords.
• Have all electrical wiring checked by a competent electrician periodically to make sure it is not faulty.
• Never run an extension cord under a rug or behind curtains.
• Smoking is one of the major causes of fires. Therefore, you should refrain from smoking inside the house