Central County Fire Department is committed to educating the public in simple ways to stay safe. We offer a variety of programs to educate our communities. Review the safety tips below for more information on how you can be Fire Smart. Fire Safety information also available in other languages.
Press Releases:
- Smoke Alarm Warning
- Firefighters say closing doors could save a life in a house fire (https://shar.es/1NoWMo)
Monthly Fire Safety Newsletter:
Fire Safety Planning
Winter fire safety tips:
We have also created some tips you can share in your emails, tweets, posts, on your websites and blogs. More fires happen in the winter months than any other time of the year. During the cold months, we spend more time indoors and use different methods to heat our homes. It is important to keep fire safety in mind when you are heating your home.
If you are using a portable heater:
- Make sure the heater has an automatic shut-off so if it tips over, it shuts off.
- Keep anything that can burn such bedding, clothing and curtains at least 3 feet from the heater.
- Plug portable heaters directly into wall outlets. Never use an extension cord or power strip.
- Turn heaters off when you go to bed or leave the room.
If you are using a fireplace:
- Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace to prevent embers or sparks from jumping out and starting a fire.
- Do not burn paper in your fireplace.
- Before you go to sleep or leave your home put the fire out completely.
- Put ashes in a metal container with a lid. Store the container outside at least 3 feet from your home.
If you are using a wood stove:
- Have your chimney inspected and cleaned each year by a professional.
- Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet from the stove.
- Do not burn paper in your wood stove.
- Before you go to sleep or leave your home, put the fire out completely.
When heating your home, you need to be aware of carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is called the “invisible killer” because it’s a colorless, odorless, and poisonous gas. More than 150 people in the U.S. die every year from accidental CO poisoning from generators or fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fire places. Breathing CO at high levels can kill you.
Put CO alarms inside your home to provide an early warning of increasing CO levels. These alarms should be placed in a central location outside each sleeping area and on every level of your home.
As always, make sure you have a smoke alarm on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Test your alarms every month. Have a home fire escape plan and practice your plan at least twice a year. Make sure everyone knows how to escape your home if there is a fire.
US Fire Administration Reports: Vacant Residential Building Fires between 2013-2015
Each year, an estimated 23,800 vacant residential building fires were reported to U.S. fire departments and caused 75 deaths, 200 injuries and $785 million in property loss. A major concern when a vacant building catches on fire is that little is known about the building’s overall condition. Many buildings are in disrepair and can be missing certain structures, such as staircases or portions of floors. If people use the vacant building as a home or shelter, the unknown condition of the building and the unknown number of people in the building can put firefighters’ lives in danger when they enter to attempt a rescue during a fire. (click link below for more information)
https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v18i9.pdf
It’s a fact: if your smoke alarm was installed before June 1, 2007 it needs to be replaced!
— U.S. Fire (USFA) (@usfire) June 1, 2017
Fire Prevention Month – Theme for 2018: “Look, Listen and Learn”.
Every October, Central County Fire Department honors National Fire Prevention Week throughout the entire month. Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire – the tragic October 1871 conflagration that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. Fire Departments all over the United States use this month to teach the community how to be fire safe. Each year, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) designates a particular theme. Recent themes have included smoke alarms, prevent kitchen fires, and escape planning. Central County Fire Department schedules visits to all our elementary schools to perform a fire and life safety presentation to the entire student body. Additionally, we offer a Home Fire Safety Inspection Contest to all elementary and junior high school children. Students are invited to participate in conducting a safety inspection of their home. Completed home inspection reports are submitted and entered into a raffle. All winners (one winner per grade) as well as grand prize winners are announced for the cities/town of Burlingame, Millbrae, and Hillsborough during October fire safety presentations. Firefighters will award the winners with a Jr. Fire Inspector badge and Certificate of Excellence. The grand prize winners are awarded with a certificate for a personalized station tour with their family, (one winner per city).
Fire extinguisher training
Central County Fire Department provides complimentary fire extinguisher training to any business or school within Burlingame or Hillsborough or Millbrae. Requests shall be made at least 2 weeks in advance and will only be approved under specific conditions. Please contact us at 650-558-7600 for more information.
Event Request for Public Education (Please select correct event name on the form)
Fire Safety Tip Sheets
Preparing for the Heating Season