The Seattle Fire Department would like to wish you all a very happy New Year. Here are some safety reminders to carry into 2020.

Old Christmas Trees

Don’t burn your Christmas tree. Burning trees at public locations such as parks and beaches is illegal. Instead, treat your old Christmas tree like you would compost or yard waste by putting it on the curb for compost/yard waste pick up. Seattle Public Utilities will pick up Christmas trees until January 31, 2020.

Candles

December and January are the leading months for candle fires.

• Use flameless or battery operated candles
• When using candles with flames, extinguish all candles upon leaving a room or before going to sleep

• Place candles in sturdy metal, glass, or ceramic holders

• Place lighted candles where they won’t be knocked over by children, pets or anyone else
• Keep burning candles away from items that can catch fire such as furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, etc.

Fireworks

• Fireworks are not allowed in the city of Seattle or King County without a permit.
• Leave the fireworks to the professionals and attend a public fireworks display such as one at the Space Needle.

Smoke Alarms

• Now is a good time make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms are working by testing and replacing batteries if necessary.
• Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home, in the hallway outside of bedrooms, and inside each bedroom. CO alarms should be on every level of the home outside of the bedrooms.
• Learn about the Seattle Fire Department’s free smoke/co alarm program

During the winter months, lights and candles get lit to brighten up our homes for the holidays. Unfortunately, this is also the time of year when the fire department responds to more fires involving candles and holiday lights.

Be mindful of your candles and festive lights this holiday season and take a few steps to ensure your holidays are joyful and safe.

Be Safe with Candles

More than half of all candle fires start when combustible materials (such as drapes, clothing, and bedding) are too close to the candle. December is the peak month for candle fires and roughly 1/3 of all candle fires started in the bedroom.

Consider using battery-operated flameless candles, which can look, smell and feel like real candles.

If you use candles:

• Extinguish all candles when leaving a room or before going to sleep.
• Put candles in sturdy metal, glass, or ceramic holders.
• Place lighted candles where they won’t be knocked over by children, pets or anyone else.
• Keep burning candles away from items that can catch on fire such as furniture, drapes, bedding, carpets, books, paper, etc.

How to handle those holiday lights

• Avoid overloading electrical outlets for both indoor and outdoor lights.
• Limit connecting of holiday lights to 3 strands.
• Do not use frayed, broken or worn string lights.
• Use low wattage mini lights at 2.5-watts or energy efficient LED bulbs, which operate at a cool-to-the-touch temperature.
• Always unplug tree lights before leaving home or going to sleep.

And finally, make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms are working. To learn more about the Seattle Fire Department’s free smoke/CO alarm program visit us online or email fireinfo@seattle.gov or call 206-386-1337.

The Seattle Fire Department wishes you very safe and happy holidays!

Daylight Saving Time comes to an end this weekend. Now is a good time to make sure that your smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms are working by testing them and replacing batteries if needed. Don’t wait until your alarm begins to “chirp” at an inconvenient time before deciding to change the batteries. Do it now!

Changing smoke and CO alarm batteries at least once a year is one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce home fire deaths and CO poisoning. In fact, working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by nearly one-half by providing an early warning and critical extra seconds to escape. Consider installing a long-life battery powered smoke/CO alarm to avoid yearly battery replacements.

Seattle homeowners who identify as seniors, have a disability or live on a low income may qualify for a free smoke/CO alarm with long-life battery from the Seattle Fire Department. If you rent or live outside of Seattle and need new smoke alarms, contact the American Red Cross or your local fire department.

Heaters are the second leading cause of fires in residential buildings. As would be expected, most heating-related fires occur during the colder months when heaters get turned on and the use of portable heaters and fireplaces increase. Fires caused by furniture, bedding, and other materials placed too close to baseboard heaters and portable heaters are the most common types of heating-related residential fires.

Safety Precautions for Residents

• Give your heaters space. Do not put anything close to any type of heater.
• Never use an extension cord with a portable heater. Plug the heater directly into a wall outlet.
• Make sure your portable heater is tested by an independent testing laboratory and has an automatic shut off feature if it tips over.
• Turn portable heaters off before leaving the room or before going to bed.
• Never permit any item to drape across heaters.
• Clean or replace furnace filters regularly.
• Inspect all heating equipment yearly and always hire an experienced electrician to do any necessary repair work on your baseboard heaters.

Read more Heating Fire Safety information

Do you know what to do when the fire alarm in your apartment building sounds?

For people who live in apartments or condominiums, the sound of the building fire alarm can be jolting and frightening. You may not know if there is an actual fire in the building or if your neighbor burned some toast and has left the front door open. Regardless, it’s important to take every alarm seriously and begin your escape plan quickly.

Do I stay inside my apartment or leave the building? That depends. For people able to use stairs, you have a choice. You may evacuate using the stairs or seek shelter inside of an apartment.

Here are a few tips to help you be better prepared for a building fire alarm.

If you can evacuate, do so immediately.

1. Leave your apartment.
2. Close the door as you go.
3. Use the stairs, not the elevator, to leave the building.
4. Go to your building’s outside meeting place.
5. Wait for instructions. Do not re-enter the building until given permission.

For people who can’t use stairs or can’t access a stairwell because of smoke in the hallway, shelter in place:

1. Stay inside your apartment.
2. Keep your doors and windows closed.
3. Place a towel or clothing at the base of the door to keep smoke from entering.
4. Call 911 if smoke comes into your apartment.

Make a plan before the next fire alarm sounds. Your plan should include all members of the household.

For more information, view the Fire Safety Handbook for Multi-Residential Buildings.

Every spring and summer as the weather warms up and building rooftops amenities get more use, we see an increase in the number of rooftop building fires.

Between September 2017 and September 2018, the Seattle Fire Department responded to 8 significant rooftop amenity fires. The total estimated loss for these fires was $468,000. The most common cause of these fires was improperly discarded smoking materials.

Even though smoking is not allowed on rooftops, Fire Investigators frequently find cigarette butts in planter boxes and in garbage cans. It is important to never discard cigarettes in vegetation such as mulch, potted plants or landscaping, peat moss, dried grasses, leaves or other things that could ignite easily. A small cigarette butt in dry conditions can turn into a major fire.

Grilling on Rooftops

July is the peak month for grill fires which are another common rooftop fire issue during the summer months. The leading ignition factors in grill fires are mechanical failure or malfunction, combustibles placed too close to the heat, and cooking left on the grill unattended.

If your rooftop has cooking grills available, make sure you know the following:

Setting up:

• Barbecue grills are designed for outdoor use only. Never barbecue in an enclosed area – dangerous carbon monoxide (CO) can accumulate and be deadly. If you suspect CO poisoning, call 911.
• Set-up your grill in an open area at least 10 feet away from buildings, overhead combustible surfaces, dry leaves and brush.
• Make sure all of the grilling parts are firmly in place and the grill is on a flat surface.
• The Seattle Fire Department recommends the use of one-pound propane cylinders as the least hazardous fuel source for outdoor grills.
• For propane grills, make sure the hose connection is tight and check the hoses for leaks.

During use:

• Never leave grills unattended while cooking.
• Keep a three-foot zone around the grill where children and pets aren’t allowed.
• Do not leave starter fluid, lighters or matches within the reach of children.
• Use the proper tools. Long handled barbecue utensils and flame retardant mitts will prevent burns from heat and flame.
• For charcoal grills, avoid adding lighter fluid after the coals are lit.

Cleaning up:

• For propane grills, turn the grill and fuel cylinder off immediately after grilling.

For charcoal grills, allow coals to cool for 48 hours before disposing. If you are not able to wait, douse coals with plenty of water, and stir them to ensure that the fire is out.

Outdoor grilling handout

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You could save a life – take a few minutes to learn Hands-only CPR

Are you prepared to help in a medical emergency if someone goes into cardiac arrest? A cardiac patient’s chance of becoming a long-term survivor are more than doubled if a bystander on the scene administers prompt CPR.

Administering Hands-only CPR (without breaths) is a simple technique that only takes a few minutes to learn. Watch this short video to learn the steps for performing Hands-only CPR – you could save a life.

Here are the steps:
1) Call 911 – Give specific information to the dispatcher, starting with the location. Is an AED available? If so, send someone to retrieve it and use it as soon as you can.
2) Make sure the scene is safe
3) Quickly determine if the person needs CPR – tap them on the shoulder to see if they wake up. Check to see if their stomach or chest is rising.
4) Begin Chest Compressions – Use two hands, with straight arms, and push down hard and fast in the center of the chest. Make sure compressions are at least 2-inches deep, and are at the rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. If someone else knows CPR, alternate after two minutes of compressions.

Help us spread awareness during this year’s National CPR Week by sharing this information with at least one family member or friend.

For more CPR information visit the Seattle Fire Department.