Spring: A great time to review your safety checklist

CHELAN - When you set your clocks forward for Daylight Saving Time, which is Sunday, March 11 this year, it is a good time to review the safety checklist.
 Family Emergency Plan
The National Safety Council recommends every family have an emergency plan in place in the event of a natural disaster or other catastrophic event. Spring is a great time to review that plan with family members to make sure they know what to do.
Have a home and car emergency kit. The Federal Emergency Management Agency says an emergency kit should include one gallon per day of water for each person, at least a three-day supply of food, flashlight and batteries, first aid kit, filter mask, plastic sheeting and duct tape, and medicines.  
 The emergency plan also should include:
• A communications plan to outline how your family members will contact one another if they are not in the same place and where you should meet if it’s safe to go outside.
• A shelter-in-place plan if outside air is contaminated; FEMA recommends sealing windows, doors and air vents with plastic sheeting
• A getaway plan including various routes and destinations in different directions.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless gas and it can kill you. Anything in the home that burns fuel can potentially become a source of carbon monoxide. CO alarms should be installed in a central location outside each bedroom and on every level of the home. The safety tips for CO detectors mirror those of smoke alarms: change the batteries, test them and interconnect them, if possible. Also, make sure vents for your gas appliances (fireplace, dryer, stove and furnace) are free and clear of snow or debris.
 Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms save lives – if they are powered by a fresh battery. You should test them every month to make sure they work & replace the battery at least once a year according to the NFPA. If the alarm makes a “chirping” sound, replace it immediately.
Smoke alarms should be located in every bedroom & in the common areas on each floor of a home. Mount them at least 10 feet from the stove to reduce false alarms, less than 12 inches from the ceiling & away from windows, doors & ducts.
 Did you know smoke alarms can be interconnected wirelessly? That means, when one sounds, they all sound. A Consumer Product Safety Commission survey found this is the best way to notify everyone in a home if there is a fire.