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.
Winter Fire Safety Tips
Fireplace and Home Fire Safety
More than one-third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel-fired appliances as primary heat sources in their homes. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the fire risks when heating with wood and solid fuels.
Heating fires account for 36% of residential home fires in rural areas every year. Often these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stovepipes. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently.
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) encourages you to practice the following fire safety steps to keep those home fires safely burning. Remember, fire safety is your personal responsibility …Fire Stops With You!
Keep Fireplaces and Wood Stoves Clean
- Have your chimney or wood stove inspected and cleaned annually by a certified chimney specialist.
- Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations and flammable materials.
- Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces. Leave glass doors open while burning a fire.
- Install stovepipe thermometers to help monitor flue temperatures.
- Keep air inlets on wood stoves open, and never restrict air supply to fireplaces, otherwise you may cause creosote buildup that could lead to a chimney fire.
- Use fire-resistant materials on walls around wood stoves.
Safely Burn Fuels
- Never use flammable liquids to start a fire.
- Use only seasoned hardwood. Soft, moist wood accelerates creosote buildup.
- Build small fires that burn completely and produce less smoke.
- Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or debris in your fireplace or wood stove
- When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace on an adequate supporting grate.
- Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.
- Soak hot ashes in water and place them in a metal container outside your home.
- Protect the Outside of Your Home
- Stack firewood outdoors at least 30 feet away from your home.
- Keep the roof clear of leaves, pine needles and other debris.
- Cover the chimney with a mesh screen spark arrester.
- Remove branches hanging above the chimney, flues or vents.
- Protect the Inside of Your Home
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home. Test them monthly and change the batteries at least once a year. Consider installing the new long life smoke alarms. Remember to call us when you need help checking your detector in those high ceilings.
- Provide proper venting systems for all heating equipment.
- Extend all vent pipes at least three feet above the roof.
Fire Safety While on Vacation
- Wherever you plan to stay on vacation:
- Hotel/Motel/AirBnB:
- Select a location with fire sprinklers and smoke/carbon monoxide alarms
- Check for an evacuation map for two ways out
- Motor home/Camper/RV:
- Make sure working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are installed
For more seasonal safety tips, visit: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/
Source: USFA
Winter Weather Safety
This winter, get informed and be ready, responsive, and resilient to the hazards of extreme weather. Know your risk, take action, and be a force of nature!
National Weather Service’s Winter Weather Safety presentation features tips for dealing with winter hazards: drought, floods, fog, hurricanes, tsunamis, wind, wildfire, and winter weather.
Sign up for U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Recall Alerts
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) was formed in 1972. The CPSC protects the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from thousands of types of consumer products under its jurisdiction, including products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard or can injure children.
Recent product recall alerts below.
Sign up for Spare the Air Alerts
Spare the Air was created in 1991 by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to alert residents when air quality is forecast to be unhealthy and to share information on ways to reduce air pollution.
From easy, everyday tools—such as commute tips—and air quality resources, such as explanations of major air pollutant sources and their health effects, Spare the Air focuses on educating and helping residents choose actions that will improve air quality and make the Bay Area a healthier, more enjoyable place to live.
Spare the Air encompasses seven full Bay Area counties as well as half of Solano and Sonoma counties. Counties are organized into five reporting zones, with the Air Quality Forecast Map showing the air quality forecast for the region. Sign up for alerts here.
Monthly Fire Safety Newsletter:
March 2023
CCFD TV
Fire is Everyone’s Fight |
Fire Won’t Wait, Plan Your Escape! |
Firefighters Say:
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| Fire is everyone’s fight! Practice fire-safe cooking and install and maintain smoke alarms.
Did you know?
Source: nfpa.org |
Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning. Do *you* have a fire escape plan? Big thanks to Engine 32-B: Captain Bunnell, Firefighter/Paramedic Eversole, and Firefighter Houser for this fun and informative video. For more information, visit fpw.org.
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Close Before You Doze – See the dramatic difference a door can make.
Because of synthetic materials, furniture, and construction, fire spreads faster than ever before. Closing doors helps stop the spread of fire. ‘Close Before You Doze’ focuses on straightforward actions and simple behavioral changes which can provide critical help in delaying the spread of fire. This doesn’t require major effort or going out and buying anything.’ -Stephen Kerber Director, UL FSRI Closing your bedroom door while you sleep could save your life. Please watch this informative video on how quickly smoke and fire can spread. To learn more about the Close Before You Doze program, please visit the Underwriters Laboratories’ website at https://closeyourdoor.org/. |
Living With Sprinklers Information Sheet
Click to download
Fire Safety Planning
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.
Request CCFD for an Event (Public Education) (Please select appropriate event type on the form)
Fire Safety Tip Sheets
Preparing for the Heating Season