For day 4 of Fire Prevention Week, we are going to again be talking about fire extinguishers in your home. We discussed the 2.5 lb kitchen fire extinguisher under your sink. Hopefully, after reading yesterday's post, most of you have now checked that extinguisher for access, checked the gauge, and checked for age or an expiration date. Is this the only fire extinguisher in your home? Maybe one more in the basement or near the furnace? Or in the garage? How about near the dryer? Do you have and use a fireplace? Do you grill out on your deck? Do you keep an extinguisher in or near the bedroom?

If you do not have a fire extinguisher in any of these places, todays discussion may be beneficial to the safety of you, your family, and your home. Below we will list areas of the home you should place an extinguisher and why.

Kitchen - Approximately 49% of home structure fires occur due to cooking incidents.

Basement - The basement usually houses your furnace, hot water heater, and electrical panels. According to U.S. Fire Administration statistics, over 7,000 basement fires occur every year. The leading causes of these fires is heating or electrical malfunctions. Some furnaces may not be in the basement, but in a utility room on the main floor. A fire extinguisher should be nearby.

Laundry room - The NFPA accounts for about 16,000 fires every year being caused by washer or dryer fires. One of the main reasons for these fires is not cleaning your dryer vents. When we say dryer vents, we do not mean the lint screen. The tube that runs from the dryer to vent outside your home should be cleaned and inspected every 6 months. Lint can build up inside these tubes, as well as animals seeking shelter in the colder months storing nuts and creating nests, which spark many fires.

Garage - Almost 7,000 fires start in the garage and destroy homes every year. Vehicles in the garage may spark a fire, or yardwork equipment. It is recommended to let lawnmowers or other equipment cool down before putting it in the garage. It is also recommended to clean any debris and grass clippings from the equipment before you store it in the garage. Another recommendation is to not store your gas cans in an attached garage. We recommend a small utility shed away from the main structures of your home.

Near Fireplaces - Every year, over 25,000 fires are caused by fireplaces and chimneys, resulting in billions of dollars in damage, and taking thousands of lives. Keeping a fire extinguisher within quick reach of your fireplace is recommended. Also, if you remember from our topic on day one, chimneys and fireplaces should be cleaned and inspected on a yearly basis.

Grills - Grilling outside on the porch or deck has contributed to almost 9,000 home fires every year. Keeping the grill away from the side of your home or other structural components is highly recommended, but keeping a fire extinguisher is still important.

Bedrooms - You may ask why in your bedroom? The answer is it may simply save your life. Almost half of all home fires occur between the hours of 5 pm and 8 pm, with most occurring in the kitchen. But how many house fires actually occur while people are sleeping?

You may be surprised to learn that only 17% of home structure fires occur between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am. But, these fires account for about 52% of all deaths due to fire. Most people are sleeping during these hours, so they are not quick to react. Sometimes the smoke alarms may take time to alert people, especially if there are not enough in the home to alert you out of your slumber. (Remember Topic #2?) You may not be able to make it downstairs or down a hallway to escape or to get to an extinguisher. Having one at the ready in or near the bedrooms may just save your life.

It is recommended to have a 2.5 lb to 5 lb extinguisher in these important areas. If you have any questions about extinguisher placement in your home or types of extinguishers to use, contact us or stop by and talk to one of our firefighters.