• Reviewing these steps annually will help keep you and your family safe.Fire exit image by JASON WINTER from Fotolia.com
  
  Protecting your home from fire is vital, and safety inspections are a big part of that preparedness. Perform your own fire safety inspections to protect your home and family, and you'll be confident that you're ready in case of an actual emergency.
  
  

Exterior

• Trim any trees or bushes which block your house number from sight to help emergency personnel find you. Trim your trees so that they're safely away from power lines and chimneys. Clean any pine needles, or other flammable materials, from your eaves, roof and rain gutters.
  
  

Heating Equipment

• Space heaters must be kept at least 3 feet from all combustible materials. Replace your furnace's filters at least once a year and clean lint from behind the clothes dryer, as well as from the lint trap, as often as possible. Never store newspapers or combustible materials close to your water heater, as the heat from it can cause a fire.
  
  

Fireplaces

• If you have and use a fireplace, install a spark screen in front of it. Also, have your chimney inspected and cleaned annually. All ashes must be disposed of in metal containers. If you don't already have a spark arrester on the chimney, install one.
  
  

Electrical

• Check electrical cords and the cords of your appliances for damage or fraying. Never tack cords to the walls or run them under carpets or rugs. You also need to maintain ventilation and air space around electrical appliances such as TVs, VCRs, stereos and computers. Use extension cords with built-in surge protectors.
  
  

Flammable Liquids

• Only work with flammable liquids in areas that have proper ventilation and store them away from heat sources. Store any rags used with such materials in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid and never store that near a heat source.
  
  

Smoke Alarms

• Smoke alarms must be installed in every sleeping area and each level of your house must have them. Test your smoke alarms monthly and replace the batteries at least once a year. Smoke alarms need to be replaced every ten years.
  
  

Fire Extinguishers

• Store one multipurpose fire extinguisher in every area where fire, heat or flammable materials are worked with. It's also important to teach your family how to use the fire extinguisher in case of an emergency. Inspect fire extinguishers annually.
  
  

Emergency Plan

• Often this is a neglected aspect of fire safety. Having a plan in place before an emergency happens. Make sure that everyone understands that plan. Decide on a plan that includes elements like crawling under smoke levels, meeting places outside the house, and the location of all exits. Discuss this plan with the entire family and practice it so that everyone knows what to do.