West Virginia Fire Safety Resource
e-Guide
e-Guide Index: - Fire Safety section:
Risk Factors > WV at Risk > Causes > Cooking > Smoking > Electrical > Heating > Arson
Causes of Fire
Some of the leading causes of fire in West Virginia are:
How can we prevent fires?
There are many ways that we can prevent fires everyday. Here are a few:
- Maintain all heating equipment in good working order - [read more about heating and fire safety]
- Never leave an open flame, ember, torch, candle, fireplace or outside grill unattended
- Never leave a candle unattended. Do not have lighted candled near flammable materials, children and pets. Use only stable, fire-resistant holders.
- Keep all smoking materials including lighters and matches in a safe place and out of reach of children - [read more about smoking and fire safety]
- Clean dryer lint traps after each load to keep lint from building up and igniting inside your dryer or dryer vent.
- Avoid scalds. Make sure your water heater is set no higher than 120° Fahrenheit.
Home Assessment Checklist
Falls and fires are the two leading causes of unintentional injuries and death among adults 65 and older. By keeping your home safe and creating personal safety in order to avoid falls, you will also be creating quick exits to avoid falls in case of fire.
Use the Home Assessment Checklist to do an assessment of your home and learn how you can make your home safer.
Learn more
To learn more about fire prevention, take the Fire Safety course on this Web site.
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