The National Fire Protection Association gathers and assembles statistical reporting on fire occurrences, fire cause, etc. Year after year, statistics prove that home safety awareness continues to save the lives and property of thousands of Americans every year.

The North County Fire Protection District has compiled this library of information in the hopes it will be incorporated into the every home. Please take a few minutes and determine whether your home and family are prepared for unplanned disasters. Your action today will be priceless tomorrow.


Free Smoke Detectors!
The North County Fire Protection District is very happy to provide free smoke detectors to any dwelling within its jurisdiction. If you, or someone you know, needs to have a smoke detector installed free of charge, please contact 831-633-2578 right away. Operative smoke detectors save lives.... period.


Change Your Batteries!
When was the last time you tested your smoke detector? When was the last time you installed fresh batteries? A smoke detector will only function as well as its maintenance. Take a few minutes right now and test go your smoke detectors. It will only take a few minutes to push the test buttons and we don't mind waiting... glad to have you back.. How did they test? Need a battery? Stop by any one of our fire stations and we'll be glad to provide you with fresh, working batteries.

Be sure to reference our Smoke Detector web page for additional information.
 
General Fire Safety tips

Make sure all family members know what to do in the event of a fire.

Draw a floor plan with at least two ways of escaping every room.  Make a drawing for each floor.  Dimensions do not need to be correct.  Make sure the plan shows important details: stairs, hallways, and windows that can be used as fire escape routes.

Test windows and doors - do they open easy enough?  Are they wide enough or tall enough to crawl through.

Choose a safe meeting place outside the house.

Always sleep the the bedroom doors closed.  This will aid in keeping deadly heat and smoke out ot the bedroom, allowing you additional time to escape.

In a fire, time is critical.  Don't waste time getting dressed.  Don't search for pets or valuables.  JUST GET OUT!

Be Prepared - Plan Ahead

Practice evacuating the building.  In a real fire situation, the amount of smoke generated by a fire will make it difficult to see.  Practice staying low to the ground when escaping (crawl).  Feel all doors before opening them.  If the door is hot, get out another way.

Learn and practice STOP, DROP, and ROLL incase your close catch fire.
STOP Don't run, this could fan the fire making it burn more intense.
DROP to the ground and cover your face with your hands.
ROLL side to side until the fire goes out.
 

 Post emergency numbers near telephones.
    Be aware that if a fire threatens your home, you should not call 911 from inside the home.  It is better to get out and call 911 from a safe location outside the home.

After a fire emergency
    Stay out of the damaged building.  Return only when fire authorities say it is safe.