Houlton Fire Chief Milton Cone provided the fire facts.
Fire safety is often a question of life or death. Test your knowledge with this important quiz. Then share what you’ve learned with your children, and make sure everyone knows what to do in the event of a blaze by developing a home safety fire escape plan.
If your home is not equipped with smoke detectors anda fire extinguisher, be sure to do so during Fire Prevention Week. These devices will help save lives in the event of a fire emergency.
The questions and answers seen here were provided by Houlton Fire Chief Milton Cone.
Q: Is gasoline a safe way to start a fire in a charcoal grill?
A: No. Instead, use plenty of charcoal, lighter fluid and a long-necked lighter to light the grill.
Q: Should you use a fire extinguisher to put out a grease fire on the stove?
A: Never. Get everyone outside and immediately call the fire department.
Q: What is the number one cause of home fires?
A: Cooking fires. Most cooking fires start with the ignition of common household items in the kitchen.
Q: Where should you install smoke alarms in your home?
A: Install alarms on every floor of your home, and outside each bedroom.
Q: Most home fires start in which room of the house?
A: The kitchen. In fact, three in ten reported home fires begin in the kitchen.
Q: True or False? Each year, fire kills more Americans than all United States natural disasters combined.
Q: What should you do if you’re trapped by fire?
A: If your exits are blocked, stay in the room with the door closed. Signal for help by waving a cloth at the window. If there is a telephone in the room, call the fire department and give your location.
For more information on fires and fire safety, call the Houlton Fire Department at 532-1320.
A: True. In the year 2005, someone died in a fire about every two hours.
In the United States in 2005:
• A fire department responded to a fire every 20 seconds.
• An outdoor fire was reported every 39 seconds.
• One home fire was reported every 83 seconds.
• A structure fire was reported every 62 seconds.
• One civilian was injured in a fire every 29 minutes.
• One civilian died in a fire every two hours and 23 minutes.
• Operating smoek alarms were present in only half of hte home fires reported in 2000-2004.
• Sixty-five percent of home-fire deaths occurred in home with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
