Fire Safety Tips - Central County Fire Department

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.

Fall Fire Safety Tips

CCFD encourages everyone to think about good fire safety practices to keep you and your loved ones safe and sound.

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 woodstove.
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.

For more seasonal safety tips, visit: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/

Source: USFA

Monthly Fire Safety Newsletter:

November 2021

CCFD TV

Fire is Everyone’s Fight	Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety with CCFD!	Firefighters Say: Close Before You Doze!

Fire is everyone’s fight! Practice fire-safe cooking and install and maintain smoke alarms. Did you know? Three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms More than one-third (38 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present. The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms. Source: nfpa.org	Is there a beep or a chirp coming out of your smoke or carbon monoxide alarm? What does it all mean? Big thanks to Engine 34-B: Captain Klarich, Firefighter/Paramedic Hinsch and Firefighter/Paramedic MacIntosh, for this fun and informative video. For more information, visit fpw.org.	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/.

Fire is Everyone’s Fight

Learn the Sounds of Fire Safety with CCFD!

Firefighters Say:
Close Before You Doze!

Fire is everyone’s fight! Practice fire-safe cooking and install and maintain smoke alarms.

Did you know?

Three out of five home fire deaths result from fires in properties without working smoke alarms
More than one-third (38 percent) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.
The risk of dying in a home fire is cut in half in homes with working smoke alarms.

Source: nfpa.org

Is there a beep or a chirp coming out of your smoke or carbon monoxide alarm? What does it all mean?

Big thanks to Engine 34-B: Captain Klarich, Firefighter/Paramedic Hinsch and Firefighter/Paramedic MacIntosh, for this fun and informative video.

For more information, visit fpw.org.

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.

Event Request for Public Education (Please select correct event name on the form)