USFA's Smoking & Home Fires Campaign

If you smoke, put it out.
All the way. Every time.

Smoking & Home Fires: A campaign to prevent the #1 cause of home fire deaths.

United States Fire Administration
16825 South Seton Avenue
Emmitsburg, MD 21727

www.usfa.dhs.gov/smoking (English)
www.usfa.dhs.gov/fumar (Spanish)

Fire Safety Facts for Smokers and People Who Live With Smokers – used by permission

Smoking is the number one cause of home fire deaths in the United States.

Every year, men, women and children are killed in home fires caused by cigarettes and other smoking materials. Most victims of smoking-related fires never thought it could happen to them. These fires can affect not only the smoker, but others living in or next to the home at the time of the fire.

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) is working to help prevent home fire deaths and injuries caused by smoking materials. Through this national fire safety campaign, the USFA along with partner organizations around the country will urge smokers to Put It Out. All the Way. Every Time.

Fires caused by cigarettes and other smoking materials are preventable.
You can make a difference.

SMOKING AND HOME FIRES ACTION STEPS:

If You Smoke, Smoke Outside

Most home fires caused by smoking materials start inside the home. It’s better to smoke outside.

Wherever You Smoke, Use Deep, Sturdy Ashtrays

Use ashtrays with a wide, stable base that are hard to tip over. If it wobbles, it won’t work.

Ashtrays should be set on something sturdy and hard to ignite, like a table. If you smoke outside, put your cigarettes out in a can filled with sand.

Make Sure Cigarettes and Ashes are Out

Put It Out. All the Way. Every Time.

The cigarette really needs to be completely stubbed out in the ashtray.

Soak cigarette butts and ashes in water before throwing them away. Never toss hot cigarette butts or ashes in the trash.

Check for Butts

Chairs and sofas catch on fire fast and burn fast. Don’t put ashtrays on them. If people have been smoking in the home, check for cigarettes under cushions.

Never Smoke in a Home Where Oxygen is Used

Never smoke while using oxygen or are anywhere near an oxygen source, even if it is turned off. Oxygen can be explosive and makes fire burn hotter and faster.

If You Smoke, Fire-Safe Cigarettes are Better

Fire-safe cigarettes are less likely to cause fires. These cigarettes have banded paper that can slow the burn of a cigarette that isn’t being used.

Be Alert

To prevent a deadly fire, you have to be alert. If you are sleepy, have been drinking, or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy, put your cigarette out first. Smoking in bed is just plain wrong.

GENERAL FIRE SAFETY FACTS:

Place properly installed and maintained smoke alarms on every level of your home.

Get smoke alarms that can sound fast for both a fire that has flames, and a smoky fire that has fumes without flames. They are called “Dual
Sensor Smoke Alarms.”

Check smoke alarm batteries at least once every year. You can use a familiar date such as when you change your clocks or your birthday as a reminder.

Create an escape plan. Plan two ways to escape from every room. Practice the escape plan with everyone in the home.

If at all possible, install residential fire sprinklers in your home.

For more fire prevention information and campaign materials, visit www.usfa.dhs.gov/smoking.

The U.S. Fire Administration is a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and is part of the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security. FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding
to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, whether natural or man-made, including acts of terror.
USFA Publications Information: FA-309 / June 2007

Shirts and Jackets

We sell practical and casual clothing at Seven Suns.

But maybe you’re on the lookout for something more fun—like for the kids. I love these cool kid shirts at CafePress.

When my son-in-law was a deputy sheriff, his boys loved any kid-sized “police gear.” Now that he’s a Marine, they love camo and anything with Marine emblems, etc.

I think we need to remind all kids of the heroes (police, fire, military, EMTs) in our lives.

Organization

People in the emergency business often “live” in their car. Keeping track off all the paperwork, pens, flashlights, etc. can get difficult. Seven Suns sells some gear to help.

Check out Uncle Mike's Portable Car Seat Organizer. It transfers easily from vehicle to vehicle.

Or maybe you need help organizing your backpack or need an organized bag. These items might help:
BlackHawk Tactical Drop-in Organizer
Valor Bag 20"X13"X12-1/2" 4 Compartments 1001

Use our search option to find what you're looking for. If we don't have it, contact us. Maybe we can get it.

Resuscitation

I recently watched the movie “The Water Horse” set during WWII. What was shocking to me was seeing how they basically did nothing to help a drowning victim breathe. We take mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR for granted. Many people are trained these days to assist when the need arises. So it made me wonder. When did this all start? Here’s a brief history thanks to the American Heart Association.

1956 - mouth-to-mouth resuscitation invented
1960 - cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) developed
1972 - the world's first mass citizen training in CPR held in Seattle, Washington
1981 - dispatcher-assisted CPR program to provide telephone instructions in CPR began in King County, Washington

On our site we sell several First-Aid Rescue Breather Personal CPR Kits plus Microshields.

Other Emergency Vehicles

This was a first sighting for me – a lifeguard vehicle.
Photo courtesy of Kevin Connors. And another by Kevin:

Rescue vehicles during an evening rush hour accident – photo taken by Kenn Kiser. Here are three more vehicle shots Kenn took.

Sierra Ambulance courtesy of Michael J. Summerville.

It’s not just US ambulances that use the trick of backwards writing so that drivers see the correct word in their rear view mirror. This picture was taken by Clara Natoli of Rome, Italy. Here’s another emergency vehicle courtesy of Clara.

This photo by Mary Thorman of Costa Rica was labeled “First Modern Ambulance.”

Antique ambulance photo by redgate.

Military ambulance taken by Kathy Bishop.

Old war ambulance parked outside of the Air Transport Command in Delaware – photo courtesy of Emily Roesly.

Ambulance in Harajuku, Japan – thanks again to Daniel T. Yara.

(All photos are from http://www.morguefile.com/)