Appliance Fire Safety

• Each year there are 24,300 residential appliance fires resulting in 100 deaths and 925 injuries
• Some electrical fires are caused by electrical system failures and appliance defects; however, many more are caused by misuse, poor maintenance of electrical appliances, incorrectly installed wiring, and overloaded circuits and extension cords
• Having a working smoke alarm reduces one's chance of dying in a fire by nearly a half

Appliance Safety Life-Saving Tips

• Don't let children play near electrical space heaters; keep clothes, curtains and other flammable items at least three feet away from heaters
• If an appliance has a three-prong plug, never force it into a two-slot outlet or extension cord
• Immediately repair appliances or lamps that sputter or spark
• In case of a fire, crawl or stay low to the ground, beneath the smoke
• Instead of a simple extension cord, get a UL-approved unit with built-in circuit breakers
• Keep appliances away from wet areas, especially in the kitchen, bathroom, basement and garage
• Never overload outlets or extension cords
• Place a smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside bedrooms; if you keep your bedroom doors closed, place a smoke alarm in each bedroom
• Prepare and practice a home fire escape plan
• Regularly inspect your extension cords for fraying and never use an extension cord as permanent wiring
• Routinely check your wiring, look for outlets that don't work, light switches that are hot to the touch and lights that flicker