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Fire Prevention Tips
In addition to responding to fire, medical and rescue emergencies, Aberdeen Fire Department aims to educate community members about the measures they can take to reduce the risk of property damage, injury, or death.
PROPERLY MAINTAINED SMOKE ALARM
Review the following to learn how to properly maintain a smoke alarm:
- Install: The Aberdeen Fire Department recommends that you install at least one smoke alarm on every level of your home, including the basement. Even better is one in every bedroom. Smoke alarms are designed to wake you up if a fire starts while you are sleeping. Be sure your smoke alarms are near bedrooms and other sleeping areas in your home.
- Test: When was the last time you heard your smoke alarm? Battery-operated alarms should be tested once a month to make certain they are working.
- Change: Replace the batteries in your smoke alarm once a year. The Aberdeen Fire Department recommends you do this when we change our clocks to Daylight Savings Time each fall.
- Replace: Replace your smoke alarm every ten years. After ten years, your smoke detector will have been working consecutively for 87,000 hours. No other appliance in your home works this long. If you do not know how old your smoke alarm is, or if it is ten years or older, replace it as soon as possible.
- Rental Properties: Whether you live in a rented house or apartment, your landlord is required to provide you with a working smoke alarm. Tenants are responsible for maintaining the smoke alarm(s) in good working condition.
Watch the video that Aberdeen and Hoquiam Fire Department recorded together with our AFD and HFD Firefighters. " All about life saving Smoke Alarms with Sparky the Fire Dog".
HOW TO CREATE A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN
If a fire does occur, a few seconds can make a big difference to help you and your family escape safely. These tips can help you create a house fire evacuation plan.
- 1. Plan for everyone. Take into account the special needs of everyone in your household, including young children and elderly family members who may not be very mobile.
- 2. Find two ways out.
- 3. Involve children in planning.
- 4. Choose a meeting spot. Decide on a meeting place outside, such as a neighbors house, mailbox or somewhere else out in the front of your house so emergency responders can see you when they arrive.
- 5. Check smoke alarms.
- 6. Be visible. Make sure that your house number can be seen quickly from the street by emergency responders.
- 7. Respond quickly. Make sure everyone knows that if a smoke alarm sounds, They need to get out immediately.
- 8. Have a back up plan. If the planned exit route is blocked and it is not possible to leave the house, close all the doors between you and the fire. place a towel under the door and go to an exterior-facing window. Call 911 and let them know your location.
- 9. Share with everyone. Go over the plan with everyone who lives in the house and with visitors and overnight guests.
- 10. Practice regularly. Practice and review the plans regularly (at least once a year).
Watch the video Aberdeen and Hoquiam Fire Department's recorded together with our AFD and HFD Firefighters as actors. What happens when you call 911?
What happens when you call 911?
Response to Burning Complaints
If you have a burning complaint which presents hazard to persons or property, please dial 9-1-1 to report the burning.