The following are safety topics from the Kent Fire Department to protect you and your family for the year.

Smoke alarms

· Provide annual maintenance on smoke alarms by vacuuming them and changing the batteries, including those hard wired into the house electrical system.

· Replace your smoke alarms every 10 years. If you do not know how old your smoke alarms are, replace them. If you are unsure how to do this, contact a licensed electrician to do the work for you.

· Ensure that children are familiar with the sound of a smoke alarm and know what to do if they hear it.

· If you are a renter in your house or apartment, it is up to you to maintain the smoke alarms. The landlord is only responsible for installing them initially and ensuring they operate when you first move in.

Ionization type smoke alarms use a small amount of radioactive material in them. This amount is minute and can be safely disposed of in your household garbage or at a recycle location. The Kent Fire Department recommends using dual sensor alarms that utilizes both ionization and photoelectric technology.

Evacuation plan

· Draw a map of your home showing each floor, room and exit.

· Know two ways out of every room, usually a door and a window. If necessary, install fire escape ladders in upper story windows.

· Sleep with bedroom doors closed to keep out smoke and toxic gases from a fire.

· Have a meeting place outside the home for accountability. Select a mailbox, tree, or other easily identifiable object that is well away from the residence, but on your side of the street.

· Practice your plan regularly and ensure each family member knows what to do.

· Never reenter your home after evacuating it during an emergency until the fire department tells you that it is safe to do so.

Kitchen safety

· Never leave the kitchen when cooking. Keep an eye on what you fry.

· Keep pan lids handy – even if you do not intend to use them. If the pan catches on fire, carefully place the lid on the pan to smother the fire while wearing an oven mitt. Turn off the burner and let the pan cool before removing the lid.

· Never wear loose fitting clothing or clothing with wide sleeves when cooking.

· Turn panhandles towards the back of the stove, out of the reach of children and create a kid free zone in front of the stove.

· Call 911 if you have a kitchen fire. Firefighters carry specialized equipment to determine if fire has spread beyond the stovetop or oven.

Kitchen fires are the number one cause of fires in residences.