Fire prevention tips to help Ohioans this spring

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Spring officially began last week, which means it is time for spring cleaning soon in Ohio.

While spring cleaning is typically regarded as improving a home’s appearance, the Ohio Department of Commerce’s Division of State Fire Marshal urges Ohioans to also improve their home’s safety during this time.

“Keeping fire prevention and safety in mind during your spring-cleaning routine can go a long way in keeping your home and loved ones safe,” State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon said. “By adding some simple items to your to-do list, such as reducing clutter, clearing debris and properly maintaining appliances, you can help prevent fires from occurring in and around your home.”

Here are some safety recommendations from Reardon about how to reduce the risk of fire in the warm months ahead.

• Make sure the exhaust pipe for your dryer is unrestricted and the outdoor vent flap opens properly when the dryer is in operation.
• Move flammable items, like boxes and cleaning supplies, away from the dryer.
• Clothes that have come into contact with flammable substances, like gasoline, should not be washed until they’ve first been set outside to dry. Once dry, they can be washed and dried as usual.

• Assess your home to ensure excessive storage is not restricting their ability to navigate their home, which poses a fire risk to both residents and first responders.
• Make sure hallways and doorways, especially exterior doorways, are easily accessible and clear.
• Ensure all items are kept at least three feet away from heat sources, including hot water heaters and furnaces.

• Remove leaves, pine needles and other flammable materials from the roof, gutters and under decks to prevent embers from bonfires, grills and other items from potentially igniting your home.
• Remove dead vegetation located within five feet of your home and dispose of branches, weeds, leaves, pine needles and grass clippings appropriately.
• Move construction materials, trash and woodpiles to at least 30 feet away from your home.

• Inspect your grill carefully and make sure it is free of grease or fat buildup.
• Clean out any nests, spiderwebs or other debris that may be inside the grill.
• For propane or natural gas grills, check the gas hose for any leaks before using the grill.

• Only use gasoline as motor fuel.
• Only store gasoline in an approved container that is sold for that purpose, and make sure the container is tightly capped when not in use.
• Never store gasoline containers in a basement or an occupied part of the home. These containers should be kept in a detached garage or shed.

Reardon also said homeowners should check their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and replace batteries if necessary. These alarms should be tested monthly to ensure they are properly sounding and be discarded entirely and replaced after 10 years.

In addition, families should develop and practice a fire escape plan to make sure everyone knows what to do in the event of a smoke alarm sounding, he said.

Additional fire prevention resources are available on the State Fire Marshal’s website.