10 Ways to Sleep Safe

Most residential fires occur at night while people are sleeping. Here are some bedroom safety tips:

1. Never smoke in bed. The risk of falling asleep while smoking is too great.
2. Do not leave children unsupervised. Store matches and lighters out of children's reach in a locked cabinet.
3. Do not place portable heaters within three feet of the bed or other flammable materials, or use them to dry clothes.
4. Do not leave heaters unattended or go to sleep while they are on. Don't use extension cords with them, and unplug them after your turn them off.
5. Don't run electrical cords over or under the bed, or trap them between the bed and the wall, where heat could build up.
6. Never place heat-producing appliances (such as electric curlers) on a bed.
7. Use only electric blankets listed by a testing laboratory.
8. Discard any mattress made before 1973, when the Federal Mattress Flammability Standard went into effect.
9. Install and maintain smoke detectors on every floor of your house - including near the bedrooms, or even in bedrooms, and away from air vents. And, sleep with your bedroom door closed.
10. Plan and practice bedroom fire escape routes.