Smoking Materials: Leading Cause of Fire Deaths
Do you smoke? Did you know that smoking materials are the leading cause of fire deaths? These materials can quickly ignite items within and outside of your home, especially mattresses, bedding, upholstered furniture, and trash. Fortunately, fires caused by smoking materials are preventable. We highly recommend you follow the below steps to avoid a potentially life-threatening fire if you smoke.
- Only fire-safe cigarettes should be smoked.
- Smoking materials, including but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, lighters, and matches, should be kept out of the reach of children. It is preferable to keep these items in high and locked locations.
- Cigarettes, cigars, and pipes should be smoked outside of your home.
- Only smoke if you are completely alert, never when tired.
- Ashtrays that are deep and sturdy should be utilized.
- Ashtrays should be placed on sturdy, hard surfaces and kept away from flammable items.
- Cigarettes and cigars should not be disposed of in trash cans or vegetation as they can easily ignite. We suggest leaving ashtrays outside of your home to prevent someone from discarding a cigarette or cigar in a trash can or vegetation. Placing the cigarette or cigar in sand is a viable option.
- Prior to the disposal of butts and ashes, you should verify that they are no longer lit or hot. You could saturate cigarettes and cigars as well as the ashes thereof with water to completely extinguish them.
- If there is medical oxygen present within the home, smoking within the home should be prohibited.
- If you smoke e-cigarettes, you should never leave them charging unattended as they can cause both fires and explosions.
It is important to note that non-smokers are also placed at risk when smokers do not adhere to the above steps.
Disaster Repair Services
Our team is fully equipped to make all repairs to your property following a fire or water loss. We take care of every detail from top to bottom, inside and out including damage estimates, loss reporting, architectural services, permit expediting, and lender notifications.