The popularity of electric bikes and scooters has taken off over the past few years. Lithium-ion batteries are usually the source of power for both, and if not used correctly, or if damaged, these batteries can catch fire and explode. Lithium-ion battery fires also give off toxic gases and burn extremely hot.

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WILL YOUR SMOKE ALARM WAKE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?

Most fire deaths occur in the middle of the night. A smoke alarm is the single most valuable lifesaving device you can have in your home.

An operable smoke alarm will reduce your chances of dying in a fire, nearly in half.

Smoke alarms are designed to detect and warn that silent, but deadly smoke is in the air. The early warning will wake you and your family, allowing time to implement your fire escape plan. While 97 out of 100 homes have a smoke alarm, more than 33 percent of these homes are unprotected because the smoke alarms don’t work. When a smoke alarm fails to work, it is frequently because the batteries are missing. People often remove or disconnect batteries to prevent nuisance activation caused by bathroom steam or cooking vapors.

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CAN YOUR FAMILY SURVIVE A FIRE IN YOUR HOME?

More that 50% of home fire deaths occur between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., when most people are sleeping. Pre-school children and older adults over 65 years of age are twice as likely to die in a home fire than any other age group.

It is not enough to have a smoke alarm! Protect your family by planning and practicing a home fire escape plan!

HOW TO MAKE “THE FIRE ESCAPE PLAN”

Use a graph to draw a floor plan of your home or apartment. Draw all floors in your home, including all windows and doors. Label each sleeping area. Show stairways and number of stairs at each stairway. Show two ways out of each room by using arrows.

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LEAVE FIREWORKS TO THE PROFESSIONALS

AMATEUR USE OF FIREWORKS CAN LEAD TO DEVASTATING BURNS AND OTHER INJURIES, FIRES AND EVEN DEATH.

Each year in the United States approximately 10,000 people are medically treated for fireworks-related injuries. More often than not it is the bystanders that sustain the injuries.

A 4-year-old girl was injured by a 6-inch fountain that shot colored fireballs. When the fountain tipped over, the girl was struck in the chest by a fireball. She sustained 2nd and 3rd degree burns to her chest and neck. She was hospitalized for three weeks for burn treatment and skin graft.

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Natural gas is used as a fuel for many things in our homes, like cooking, heating and drying clothes.

While rare, a natural gas line leak is extremely dangerous due to the potential of an explosion.

Natural gas has no scent of its own, so for safety reasons, an odorant similar to rotten eggs is added. The rotten egg scent helps you detect even the tiniest gas leak.

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More people die in fires started by carelessly discarded or abandoned smoking materials such as cigarette butts and cigarette ashes than any other type of residential fire. Fires caused by smoking materials often smolder, sometimes for hours before the first flame. For most people who died in residential smoking fires, escape was made more difficult because they were asleep. The most common materials to first ignite are mattresses and bedding, followed by trash and upholstered furniture.

The risk of dying in a residential fire caused by smoking materials increases with age.

Over 40% of fatal smoking material fire victims were age 65 or older, compared to their 13% share of the population.

Smokers are seven times more likely than nonsmokers to have a fire in their home.

If you are a smoker, take precautions to ensure the safety of you and your family.

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Candle Fire Safety

Candle fires are on the rise. While other causes for home fires have decreased, the percentage caused by candles has tripled in the past ten years.
These candle fires were preventable!

How does a little flame become so dangerous?

More than 33% of candle fires occured when the candles were left unattended or abandoned. Roughly 25% of the fires occured because something combustible such as curtains or paper was too close to the flame. Half the people killed by candle fires in the home were younger than 20, with most of the victims between the ages of 5 and 9.

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The preperation of the home cooked meal is the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries. Unattended cooking accounts for 33% of these fires. Other leading causes are placing combustible items too close to the heat source and various electrical defects.

There are a variety of situations that lead to unattended cooking fires. the most common is when the cook becomes distracted and leaves the kitchen. The most common distractions are attending to children, answering phone calls, watching television and answering doorbells.

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Hurricane Sandy has left thousands of New Jersey residents without power and home heating. Here are some safety tips you can use to KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE.

PORTABLE SPACE HEATERS

• The use of kerosene or propane space heaters is strictly prohibited and illegal to use in New York City.
• Kerosene and propane space heaters pose a high risk of death and injury, and generate carbon monoxide.
• Only use portable electric heaters that are certified and approved by a recognized testing lab, such as UL.
• Keep portable heaters at least three feet away from combustible materials, such as blankets, curtains and newspapers.
• Never leave portable heaters unattended, and never leave the house or go to bed without turning off the heater.

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