Public Fire Safety Education

The Barnwell Fire Department provides Fire and Life Safety Education programs for community, civic, church or business groups also homemaker, garden club, senior citizen and early childhood educational groups located within the City of Barnwell. To arrange for a program with the department please call or email us with your request.

Here are some tips to remember with regards to Fire and Life Safety

When at the Gasoline Pump

• Turn off your vehicle’s engine when refueling
• Keep gasoline and other fuels out of children’s sight and reach. NEVER allow a child to pump gasoline.
• Don’t smoke, light matches or use lighters while refueling
• Pay attention to what you're doing. Pumping gas is the transfer of a hazardous substance; don't engage other activities.
• Avoid using any electronic device, such as cell phones, computers or portable radios while refueling
• Use only the refueling latch on the gasoline dispenser nozzle, if there is one. Do not jam the latch with an object to hold it open.
• If a fire starts while you're refueling, don't remove the nozzle from the vehicle or try to stop the flow of gasoline. Leave the area immediately and call for help.
• Don't get in and out of your vehicle while refueling. A static electric charge can develop on your body as you slide across the seat, and when you reach for the pump, a spark can ignite gasoline vapor.
• Use only approved portable containers for transporting or storing gasoline. Make sure the container is in a stable position.
• Never fill a portable container when it is in or on the vehicle. Always place the container on the ground first. Fires caused by static charges have occurred when people filled portable containers in the back of pick-up trucks, particularly those with plastic bed liners. Removing the container will also prevent a dangerous spill of gasoline.

When Cooking

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen, even for a short time, turn off the stove.
• Keep anything that can catch fire - potholders, towels or curtains - away from your stovetop.
• Have a "kid-free zone" of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
• Always keep a oven mitt and lid nearby when you're cooking. If a small grease fire starts in a pan, put on an oven mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan. Turn off the burner. Don't remove the lid until it is completely cool
• If there is an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you and your clothing. Have the oven serviced before you use it again

When Staying in Motels or Hotels

• Choose a hotel that’s protected by both smoke alarms and fire sprinklers
• When you check in, ask the desk clerk what the fire alarm sounds like.
• Read the escape plan posted in your room.
• Count the number of doors between your room and the nearest two fire exits. Open the exit doors to be sure they’re unlocked.
• Keep your room key by your bed and take it with you if there is a fire. If you cannot escape, you may have to return to your room.
• If you hear an alarm, leave immediately, closing all doors behind you. Use the stairs – Never use elevators during a fire.
• If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your exit. If all escape routes are blocked, return to your room. Shut off fans and air conditioners. Stuff wet towels or bedding in the crack around the doors and vents. Call the fire department to let them know your location. Wait at a window and signal for help with a flashlight or light-colored cloth.

Smoke Detectors

• Test your smoke alarms once a month, following the manufacturer's instructions.
• Replace the batteries in your smoke alarm once a year, or as soon as the alarm "chirps" warning that the battery is low. Hint: schedule battery replacements for the same day you change your clocks from daylight savings time to standard time in the fall.
• Never "borrow" a battery from a smoke alarm. Smoke alarms can't warn you of fire if their batteries are missing or have been disconnected.
• Don't disable smoke alarms even temporarily. If your smoke alarm is sounding "nuisance alarms," try relocating it farther from kitchens or bathrooms, where cooking fumes and steam can cause the alarm to sound.
• Regularly vacuuming or dusting your smoke alarms, following the manufacturer's instructions, can keep them working properly.
• Smoke alarms don't last forever. Replace yours once every 10 years. If you can't remember how old the alarm is, then it's probably time for a new one.
• Plan regular fire drills to ensure that everyone knows exactly what to do when the smoke alarm sounds. Hold a drill at night to make sure that sleeping family members awaken at the sound of the alarm. Some studies have shown that some children may not awaken to the sound of the smoke alarm. Know what your child will do before a fire occurs.
• If you are building a new home or remodeling your existing home, consider installing an automatic home fire sprinkler system. Sprinklers and smoke alarms together cut your risk of dying in a home fire 82 percent relative to having neither – a savings of thousands of lives a year.