• Fire Safety Tips for Children
• Fire Safety - Your Home
• Fire Safety - Your Business
• Smoke Detectors
• CO Detectors

Millions of children care for themselves after school while both parents' work. All children should learn fire safety precautions, but these kids that are "home alone" need to be taught how to protect themselves from fire. The Belton Emergency Services wants parents to remind their children of these basic fire-safety tips:

• Be extremely careful when cooking, even with the microwave.
• Leave matches and cigarette lighters alone.
• If clothes catch Fire - Stop, Drop and Roll!
• If burned with something hot, cool burn with cold water (never anything greasy)
  and call 9-1-1!
• If a fire starts, leave the house immediately and call 9-1-1 from a neighbor's house.

If you would like help in teaching your child about fire safety, contact the Public Education Division at the Belton Emergency Services at (816) 331-7969 and have a safe school year.

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More people die in home fires than in any other location. The Fire Department offers the following tips for helping make your home fire safe:

• Install and maintain smoke detectors on every level of your home.
• Develop and practice a fire escape plan.
• Check all chairs, sofas, cushions, etc. for smoldering ashes after anyone has been smoking in your home.
• Never store gasoline or propane inside your home.
• Never smoke in bed or when drowsy.
• Have furnaces and fireplaces serviced at least once a year.
• Make sure that candles are never left unattended, trim the wicks regularly, and never place them where the flame may come in contact with drapes or other combustible items.

Have any questions? Contact the Fire Department at (816) 331-7969.

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The Belton Emergency Services wants to help your business avoid fires. The Fire Department will perform a fire inspection of your business at no cost upon request. The Fire Department also makes every effort to inspect every business once per year. Until the inspector sees you, keep these fire safety tips in mind:

• Minimize the use of extension cords and never use damaged or spliced cords.
• Have your fire extinguishers serviced annually.
• Make sure your exit signs are lit.
• Have your fire alarm system and/or sprinkler system tested annually.
• If you must use flammable or combustible liquids, eliminate ignition sources like cigarettes, pilot lights, etc.
• Keep flammables in approved containers.
• Keep exit ways and doors accessible and unlocked during business hours.
• Make sure all employees know to dial 9-1-1 to report any emergency.

Have any questions? Contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at (816) 331-7969.

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• Test the batteries once a month.
• Replace any battery too weak to sound the alarm.
• Most detectors "chirp" when the battery is low.
• Don’t place your detector in kitchens, bathrooms or garages, where cooking fumes, steam, or exhaust can set off the alarm when there is no fire.
• Smoke detectors have a life expectancy of 10 years. Replace any detector that is more than 10 years old.
• Change batteries each year when the clocks change in October.
• Change your clocks; Change your batteries!

NEVER DISABLE YOUR SMOKE DETECTOR
BY REMOVING THE BATTERY FOR OTHER USES!

If you require assistance in purchasing or installing a smoke detector, or just have questions, call the Fire Department at (816) 331-7969. Monday through Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

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Carbon monoxide (C0) is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas. It is produced when any fossil fuel such as propone, natural gas, coal, oil or gasoline is burned, and a buildup is caused by insufficient oxygen supplies. Over-exposure to CO can cause CO poisoning, which can lead to serious illness, even death.

Place detectors nearest to bedrooms as possible since you are most vulnerable to CO poisoning while sleeping. If your bedrooms are in different parts of the house, place separate detectors near each bedroom area.

If you live in an apartment building with forced air heat, make sure there’s a detector in the boiler room as well as near the bedrooms. Do not place one near your kitchen, garage or in a room with a furnace.

It usually takes several hours or more for CO to increase to dangerous levels. If your CO detector goes off with illness, get out of the house immediately and call 9-1-1 from another location. The 9-1-1 dispatcher will dispatch the fire department ambulance.

If your CO detector goes off there is no illness, press the reset button to verify the presence of CO. If the alarm goes off again after five minutes, open your windows to allow fresh air into your home leave the house and call 9-1-1. The 9-1-1 dispatcher will dispatch the fire department to check for a CO leak in your home.

Following these tips will help to keep your family safe from CO:

Preventive maintenance

• Have your furnace, venting system, and chimney inspected each year by a qualified contractor.
• Periodically check your furnace and water heater vent pipes for rust, corrosion or damage. Replace pipes if necessary.

Avoid enclosed combustion

• Don’t use your gas range to heat your home.
• Never burn charcoal in your home, garage, work shed, or recreational vehicle or in any enclosed area.
• Be sure your chimney flue is open each time you use your fireplace.
• Never run a car engine, lawn mower, snow blower or other combustion engine in a closed area like your garage or basement.
• When camping, do not operate a fuel-burning heater, lantern or range inside your tent or RV without proper ventilation. Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for use.

Symptoms

• Flu-like symptoms and include headaches, dizziness, nausea, coughing, and irregular breathing and heartbeat.
• Victims may appear pale, but then develop a cherry red color on lips and ear tips.
• Be suspicious if everyone in your household is experiencing the same symptoms - especially animals because they can’t get the flu.

First aid

• Get fresh air immediately!
• Go to a neighbor’s house and call 9-1-1 immediately even if the victim appears to be recovering.

CO Features

• An audible alarm that stops automatically within minutes when gas dissipates.
• Approval certification with the UL 2023 or American Gas Association.
• A power light indicating power is on.
• A digital display or warning light that signals low levels of CO.
• A manufacturer’s warranty that indicates the life of the detector.
• A test button to verify the detector is working.
• A manual hush/reset button to silence the alarm but the sensor remains active so the unit continues taking readings.
• An intermittent alarm to indicate low battery or a problem with the circuitry.
• Plug-in models with a 6 ft. power cord.

Have any questions? Contact the Fire Department at (816) 331-7969.

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