Homes/Residences/Apartments
Recreational Burning Rules/Guidelines
At West Metro
Fire-Rescue, we're always concerned with the
safety of our citizens. Recreation
fires are no exception and the cause of many
larger fires if not watched closely.
The following PDF file details the
recreational burning rules/guidelines.
Apartment Safety
 Fire Safety in an
apartment presents some different
circumstances than a single family home. If
a fire occurs in one apartment, all other
residents in the building can be affected.
People need to be even more careful about
fire prevention.
Although most cities
have specific fire and safety regulations
for apartments, it is often up the
residents to take precautions to make there
own apartment safe.
The Fire Prevention
Staff is always willing assist with any
issues related to fire safety. We are also
willing to do fire safety presentations to
educate the residents on fire safety. For
further information contact Shelby Wolf,
Fire Inspector at 763.230.7006, or Aaron
Surratt at 763.230.7005.
For a full listing of
items a fire inspector looks for
during an apartment inspection, click here
for a PDF file. Also,
click here for a PDF file of fire prevention
safety tips for apartments.
Smoke Detector Handout for Apartments
Studies have shown that
roughly one-fifth of the tens of millions of
smoke alarms installed in homes or
apartments are not in proper working
condition. These poorly maintained units
endanger occupants by creating a false sense
of security.
More than half of all
fatal fires strike when people are asleep.
The sooner a sleeping person wakes up and
reacts, the greater his or her chances are
of surviving the fire. If you’re asleep, the
smell of smoke won’t always wake you up. In
fact, smoke and poisonous gases can put you
into a deeper sleep. Smoke alarms can cut
your risk of dying in a fire nearly in half.
Most people who die in home fires don’t die
from the actual fire itself, but the smoke.
Smoke alarms do save lives, and are required
by law.
Click here for a
PDF file with a detailed maintenance list
for your smoke detector.
Carbon Monoxide
Detector Information
 Carbon
monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless,
deadly gas that is a by-product of
incomplete combustion. CO can form in homes
when there is not enough fresh air for
complete combustion of fuel.
Learn more about CO and how to prevent CO
build up by reading our PDF file by clicking
here.
Visit the Minnesota Department of Public
Safety and their PDF file regarding Carbon
Monoxide Alarms
Using a Fire Extinguisher
A fire extinguisher can be a valuable tool
for extinguishing small contained fires.
They aren’t, however, designed to fight
large fires and they aren’t for everyone.
You should use them only if you are an
adult, know how to operate the extinguisher,
can reach the extinguisher easily, the
extinguisher matches the type of fire you’re
fighting and you have a clear escape route.
To read more about using a fire
extinguisher, click here for a PDF file.
General Fire Safety Tips
More than 4,000
Americans die each year in fires and
approximately 20,000 are injured. An
overwhelming number of fires occur in the
home. There are time-tested ways to prevent
and survive a fire. It's not a question of
luck. It's a matter of planning ahead.
Click here for a PDF file with more
information on basic fire safety tips.
Getting out and staying alive in the event
of a fire
Practice your home fire escape plan at least
twice a year. Everyone should practice the
home fire escape plan at all times of the
day and night. If the smoke alarm sounds in
your home everyone will know how to get out
and meet at the outside meeting place.
Choose a spot in front of your home where
the fire department will see you when they
arrive. Never go back into the burning
building to attempt to rescue people, pets
or possessions. Firefighters are trained.
Click here for a PDF file with more
information on basic fire safety tips II.
Heater Safety Facts
 West
Metro Fire Rescue District is asking
residents of Crystal and New Hope to follow
safety precautions when purchasing and using
electric or fuel-fired heaters. If heaters
are misused they can cause injury and/or
death to the occupant or to others in a
building. We want everyone to be safe! Due
to the increasing cost of heating a home or
apartment many people in the community are
looking at alternative heating arrangements.
In the recent year, there were about 10,900
residential fires and about 190 deaths
associated with portable or fixed space
heaters. In addition an average of about 85
people die each year from carbon monoxide
poisoning caused by heating systems,
ranges/ovens and water heaters.
Click here for a PDF file on more heater
safety facts and regulations.
Requirements in using Holiday
Decorations and Lights
 Each
year fires occurring during the holiday
season injure 2,600 individuals and cause
over $930 million in damage. According to
the United States Fire Administration (USFA),
there are simple life-saving steps you can
take to ensure a safe and happy holiday. By
following some of the outlined precautionary
tips, individuals can greatly reduce their
chances of becoming a holiday fire casualty.
Christmas Trees and a Holiday Safety
The Minnesota State
Fire Code and West Metro Fire-Rescue
District prohibits the use, display or
storage of natural or resin-bearing
Christmas trees or decorations. There is one
exception:
The use and
display of natural or resin-bearing
Christmas trees or decorations inside
individual dwelling units is permitted.
For artificial
Christmas trees the use or display of
flame-retardant artificial trees with listed
electrical light decorations is allowed in
all occupancies.
As the holiday season
again draws near, following these simple but
effective fire prevention tips at home can
minimize the possibility of a fire:
Trees
-
Many artificial trees
are fire resistant. If you buy one, look
for a statement specifying this
protection.
-
A fresh tree will
stay green longer and be less of a hazard
than a dry tree.
-
To check for
freshness remember: it should be green,
fresh needles are hard to pull away from
branches, when bent between your fingers,
fresh needles do not break away, trunk or
butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin,
the needles should not be falling off (
that is a sign of a dry tree.
-
Place trees away from
fireplaces, radiators and other heat
sources (minimum of 3 feet).
-
Keep the stand filled
with water when the tree is indoors.
-
Place the tree out of
the way and do not block doorways.
-
Use electrical items
(such as Christmas lights or other holiday
decorations) that are listed and in good
condition. Make sure the electrical
circuits are not overloaded. Use no more
than three standard-size sets of lights
per single extension cord. Never place
lights on a metallic tree or metal
furniture. The tree or furniture can
become charged with electricity from
faulty lights, any person touching a
branch could be electrocuted!
-
Always unplug the
lights before going to sleep or leaving
home.
-
Be aware of where the
electrical cords are located under the
tree. Do not put packages on top of
electrical cord. This can cause physical
damage to the cord and could cause a fire.
-
Never use candles to decorate a tree.
-
Be aware that a dry
tree is a serious fire hazard. If ignited,
it will burn very quickly and with intense
heat. Spraying or “flocking” a tree does
not make it fire-resistive, so be careful.
If your tree begins dropping needles, be
sure to dispose of it safely. Dried-out
trees are very dangerous. Use only
non-combustible or flame-resistant
materials for trimmings.
-
Do not put
extension cords through windows or sliding
doors, etc… This can damage the wiring and
cause a fire. If using lighting outside it
should be a listed and/or approved type
and plugged to an outlet outside.
We at West Metro
Fire-Rescue District hope everyone has a
nice holiday season and be safe! If you have
any questions or concerns please don’t
hesitate to contact the Fire Prevention
staff at 763.537.2323.
Click here for a PDF file on holiday
decorations and light regulations.
Preventing Hazardous Material Fires
For your safety and the
well-being of your family be aware of what
hazardous materials are, and then learn to
store them or dispose of them properly.
Click here for a PDF file that outlines how
to identify hazardous materials, minimize
the risk of ignition and a listing of common
hazardous materials in the home.
Residential Fire Evacuation Plan -
Getting out and staying alive in the event
of a fire
With a fire burning in
your home, there is no time to waste. You
may have to contend with fear, darkness,
confusion, even blinding smoke and searing
heat. If you plan and practice now, you and
your family will know what to do in a real
emergency. In the event of a fire, it pays
to be prepared.
According to the
National Fire Prevention Association and the
West Metro Fire-Rescue District, every
household should develop a home fire escape
plan and practice it with all occupants at
least twice a year. Appoint someone to be
the monitor, to sound the alarm and make
sure everyone participates. Because the
majority of fatal fires occur when people
are sleeping start the drill by going to
your bedroom, closing the door, and waiting
for the monitor to sound the alarm.
Remember, a fire drill is not a race. Get
out quickly but carefully!
Click here for a PDF file with more
information on developing your own fire
evacuation plan.
Safe Cooking at Home
 West
Metro Fire-Rescue District wants you to be
safe while cooking in your home!
As a Fire District,
which serves New Hope and Crystal, we
respond to many fire calls related to
cooking in your home. The fire calls range
from burnt food to a full-blown grease fire
on the stove. The Fire Prevention Personnel
would like provide you with some information
on how to be safe while cooking in your
kitchen.
Cooking fires cause
hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries
in our nation each year. Here in Minnesota
we suffered 2 deaths, 44 civilians’
injuries, and 4 firefighter’s injuries
during 2003 from cooking fires. The facts
along with the more than 2.5 million in
property loss make reducing the statistics a
priority to West Metro Fire-Rescue District.
Click here for a PDF file with more safety
tips when cooking at home.
Safety for Seniors
 Next
to young children, seniors are the next
highest risk category in terms of fire
deaths. Again the issue is mobility and
exiting. Careless smoking caused one
of every 4 senior fire deaths. Avoid
smoking when drowsy. Attend to
cooking. Use oven mitts when cooking.
Falls can happen at any
age, but falls resulting in severe injury
and death are greatest among seniors. Each
year 7,000 seniors die as a result of a
fall. This can happen because of changes in
muscle and bone strength, hearing, and
vision. Medications can also affect balance
and coordination.
Click here for a PDF file with more
information on safety for seniors.
Change your Smoke Alarm Battery!
Smoke alarms play a
critical role in saving lives. They increase
your chance of survival by more than half.
Code requires a working smoke alarm on every
sleeping level of your residence. If you are
a renter, your landlord is responsible for
making sure there are working smoke
detectors. Smoke alarms play a critical role
in saving lives. They increase your chance
of survival in a fire by more than half.
Click here for a PDF file with more helpful
information. |
