Every 82 seconds a home fire breaks out, according to the National Fire Protection Agency. Fires can cause irreparable damage to homes and businesses displacing families and employees. Last year, the American Red Cross responded to 63,000 home fires across the country and provided comfort and basic necessities to those affected. This October 9-15 the Red Cross is helping families and businesses learn how to protect themselves and others from fires in observance of National Fire Prevention Week.

Here are steps you can take now to keep you and your family safe:
•Keep items that can catch on fire at least three feet away from anything that gets hot, such as space heaters.
•Never smoke in bed.
•Talk to children regularly about the dangers of fire, matches and lighters and keep them out of reach.
•Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep.

Cooking Safely
•Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
•Stay in the home while simmering, baking, roasting or boiling food. Check it regularly and use a timer to remind you that food is cooking.
•Keep anything that can catch fire—like pot holders, towels, plastic and clothing— away from the stove.
•Keep pets off cooking surfaces and countertops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner.

Smoke Alarms
•Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.
•Teach children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.
•Once a month check whether each alarm in the home is working properly by pushing the test button.
•Replace batteries in smoke alarms at least once a year. Immediately install a new battery if an alarm chirps, warning the battery is low.
•Smoke alarms should be replaced every 10 years. Never disable smoke or carbon monoxide alarms.
•Carbon monoxide alarms are not substitutes for smoke alarms. Know the difference between the sound of smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.

Fire Escape Planning
•Ensure that all household members know two ways to escape from every room of your home.
•Make sure everyone knows where to meet outside in case of fire.
•Practice escaping from your home at least twice a year and at different times of the day. Practice waking up to smoke alarms, low crawling and meeting outside. Make sure everyone knows how to call 9-1-1.
•Teach household members to STOP, DROP and ROLL if their clothes should catch on fire.

Business, too, should be prepared. Fire is the most common of all business disasters. Companies, schools and other organizations can learn how to prepare for fires and other emergencies by becoming a member of the Red Cross Ready Rating™ Program at readyrating.org. Complete a free, online assessment of your current readiness level and receive customized feedback with tips to improve preparedness.