In an effort to help educate, the Aston Angel Network has put together this Fire Prevention page. Please become familiar with these fire safety tips. In the Penndelco area, there are several fire departments that spans the coverage area. Aston Beechwood, and Green Ridge Fire companies cover the Aston area. And Brookhaven and Parkside Fire companies cover their areas respectively. All four of these departments are aggressive and some of the most highly trained in the county if not state.  But your help is needed. By remembering the following tips and using a proactive approach to safety around the home, you’ll be providing a safe environment for you and your family.

Detection Locations

SMOKE ALARMS

Every year in the United States, about 3,000 people lose their lives in residential fires. In a fire, smoke and deadly gases tend to spread farther and faster than heat. That’s one reason why most fire victims die from inhalation of smoke and toxic gases, not as a result of burns. A majority of fatal fires happen when families are asleep because occupants are unaware of the fire until there is not adequate time to escape. A smoke alarm stands guard around the clock and, when it first senses smoke, it sounds a shrill alarm. This often allows a family the precious but limited time it takes to escape.
About two-thirds of home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Properly installed and maintained smoke alarms are considered to be one of the best and least expensive means of providing an early warning of a potentially deadly fire and could reduce the risk of dying from a fire in your home by almost half.

http://www.firesafety.gov/citizens/alarms/index.shtm

CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

Carbon monoxide (or CO) is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Because it is impossible to see, taste, or smell the toxic fumes, CO can kill before you are aware it is in your home. CO gas can come from several sources: gas-fired appliances, charcoal grills, wood-burning furnaces or fireplaces, and motor vehicles. Know the signs and symptoms of this killer and learn how to prevent CO poisoning.

http://www.firesafety.gov/citizens/co2/index.shtm

HAVE AN ESCAPE PLAN

The first step in having a home escape plan is to make sure everyone in your family sits down and has input into the home escape plan which should be a drawing of your home with all major features (bedrooms, stairs, hallways, doors, windows). A key point is to have a meeting place outside shown on the map. Once you have your plan, it is now time to practice it. E.D.I.T.H (Exit Drills In The Home) and D.A.N. (Drills At Night) are acronyms to help you remember what to do. Take the drills seriously, you are practicing with your life! Each family/household will have different circumstances, so you need to add things that apply to YOU. Also, remember that there are different situations if you live in an apartment, condominium, or hotel/motel.

http://www.firesafety.gov/citizens/escape/index.shtm

AFTER THE FIRE

With these above tips, we hope you never experience a tragedy. There are scores of fire tips and recommendations to prevent such things from happening. But should they happen, then what? Here is a great link to help you with where to begin and who to contact should you or a loved one find them in such a situation.

http://www.firesafety.gov/citizens/after_the_fire/index.shtm