Fire Department.
Public Education

• Blood Pressure Checks
• Car Seat Installation
• CPR Classes
• Fire Escape Planning for Homes
• Fire Extinguishers
• Fire Safety Tips - Carbon Monoxide
• Fire Safety Tips - Children/Pets in vehicles
• Fire Safety Tips - Cooking Safety
• Fire Safety Tips - Heating Equipment
• Fire Safety Tips - Holiday
• Fire Safety Tips - Parents
• Fire Station Tours
• Protecting your home against a fire
• Public Appearance Request
• Smoke Detectors
• Wildfire Awareness

Blood Pressure Checks
Blood Pressure checks are available at stations 571, 573, and 574 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Monday through Friday.
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Car Seat Installation
For information on the proper way to install a car seat, please visit usa.safekids.org/.

CPR Classes
The City of Maricopa Fire Department offers basic level cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) classes through the Parks and Recreation department. If you need a CPR class above the basic level please contact the American Red Cross.
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Fire Escape Planning
The City of Maricopa Fire Department strongly recommends that every home have a fire escape plan that is effective and well known by all family members. A home escape plan must be created and practiced so that each person knows exactly what to do. It also is important to practice exit drills.

The following bullets are provided to assist with a fire escape plan:

• Draw a floor plan of your home that shows all windows, doors, halls, stairs and rooms.
• Make sure all rooms, especially bedrooms, have at least two exits.
• Draw dark arrows on your plan to indicate normal exits.
• Mark emergency escape routes with lighter arrows. These alternative exits are to be used when normal exits are blocked.
• Test your escape routes.
• Make sure windows can be opened easily, and that screens and storm windows can be removed from the inside.
• If your bedrooms are on the second floor, install folding escape ladders.
• If you live in an apartment or other multi-family residence, be sure that the building has an overall plan in place and that your plan concurs.
• To account for everyone's safety, select and list on your plan a definite meeting place outside the house.
• Assign someone to assist infants, small children, elderly, and disabled family members.
• Be prepared to call the fire department from a neighbor's house by dialing 911.
• Hold fire drills with all family members at least once a year. This will test the effectiveness of your plan and give you a chance to practice escaping.
• For more information or assistance in planning a fire escape plan contact:www.nfpa.org/
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Fire Extinguishers
Portable fire extinguishers apply an agent that will cool burning fuel, restrict or remove oxygen, or interfere with a chemical reaction so that a fire cannot continue to burn. Every home and office should have at least one fire extinguisher.

Identify hazardous areas where fires are likely to start and keep an extinguisher in a handy location, but far enough away from anticipated fire areas. Everyone affected should know where they are located and how they operate.

• Class A fires are those involving ordinary combustibles, such as wood, paper, cloth, upholstery, plastics, or similar materials. 
• Class B fires are those involving flammable liquids, kitchen grease, paint, oil, kerosene, or similar materials. Never use water for these fires - it will not extinguish the flames.
• Class C fires are those involving live electrical equipment or wires.   Never use water for these fires. If possible, cut off the power before the fire becomes a Class A or B.

There are several types of fire extinguisher's to deal with different types of fires.  The City of  Maricopa fire  recommends obtaining an All Purpose (Class A,B,C) type of fire extinguisher that will handle any and all types of potential fire in the home and Business.
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Fire Safety Tips - Carbon Monoxide (CO)
About 230 people die each year from CO poisoning related to fuel burning household appliances, such as furnaces, space heaters, water heaters, clothes dryers, kitchen ranges, wood stoves and fireplaces.

Each year, approximately 25 people die and hundreds more suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning when they burn charcoal in enclosed areas such as their homes - in a bedroom or living room for heat or cooking. Some also burn charcoal in campers or vans, or in tents.

When inhaled, carbon monoxide, a tasteless, odorless gas, is easily absorbed into the blood. The gas is lethal when it replaces the amount of oxygen needed to sustain heart and brain function.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headaches, fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and nausea, are often dismissed as a "touch of the flu," even by doctors.

• Never use a vented-type heater without proper venting and flue (chimney).
• Follow manufacturer's recommendations for the proper size heater and for its installation, maintenance and use. Have it professionally installed, if possible.
• Have your heater installation checked by the local fire marshal, building inspector, or gas company before lighting.
• Never use a heater that is in disrepair. Always keep your heater in proper operating condition.
• Turn off the heater if the burner flame looks strange, i.e., yellow flames, unsteady flames, or smoky flames.
• Turn off the heater, ventilate the room and get into the fresh air if you feel other than normal, i.e., headache, nausea, fuzzy vision--remember CO does not have a odor and you may become unconscious before you realize there is a problem.
• Make sure the venting system is open--a blocked vent can cause your space heater to exhaust CO into your living space.
• Never sleep in a room where a gas heater is burning.
• Do not operate a gas heater in a completely 'tight' room. The heater needs a source of fresh air to operate safely and efficiently. 'Crack' a window, if needed.
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Fire Safety Tips - Children/Pets in vehicles
As temperatures start to climb, reports of children and pets locked in vehicles increase. Caution should always be used to ensure the safety of children and pets.  

To ensure your child's and pet's safety, practice the following safety tips:

• Never leave children or pets inside a closed vehicle, it can be deadly
• Interior temperatures in a car can reach well above 100 degrees in a very short period of time
• Never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles
• Always keep your car doors locked, even when the vehicle is in a garage or carport as children may play in the vehicle and can become trapped
• Check the temperature of child safety seats and seat beats before sitting children down or buckling them up. The metal (and even plastic) can become hot enough to cause burns
• Call 911 immediately if you find a child left alone in a parked car, or your child becomes locked in your car. The child's life may depend on it.
• Ensure that children and adults are drinking plenty of fluids. Staying hydrated can prevent many heat related problems and make for a safer, healthier summer
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Fire Safety Tips - Cooking Safety
Cooking is the number one cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Every year hundreds of Americans die, thousands more are injured, and roughly half of a billion dollars in property damage results from cooking fires. What can you do to help ensure you and your loved ones safety while cooking? Here are a few suggestions:

• Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or broiling food
• If you must leave the kitchen, even for a short time, turn off the stove.  Most cooking fires start on the stove due to unattended cooking
• If you are simmering, baking, boiling or roasting food, check it regularly
• Remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that the stove or oven is on
• While cooking avoid wearing loose clothing, especially dangling sleeves.  Loose clothing can catch fire when exposed directly to many of the heat sources present in the kitchen
• Keep kids away from cooking areas. Enforce a kid-free zone of at least three feet around the stove
• If you have small children, use the stove's back burners when possible and turn pot handles inward to reduce the risk of a child pulling the hot contents down onto themselves
• Never hold a small child while cooking
• Keep items that can catch fire, such as pot holders, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels, etc., away from your stove top and other heat sources.  Keeping the cooking area uncluttered is safer
• Clean up food and grease from burners and stove tops
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Fire Safety Tips - Heating Equipment
December, January and February are the top months nationally for home fires started by heating equipment. In Maricopa, heating is not on our mind as much as it is in other parts of the country. That changes when we have a cold streak with temperatures at or below freezing. Because it isn’t something Maricopa residents normally have to deal with, here are a few safety reminders:

• Be sure to have central heating units well maintained and regularly serviced.
• If you are purchasing a space heater, make sure it is one that has been approved by an independent testing organization.
• Read and follow manufacturer directions for use, and all cautions or warnings.
• Make sure no combustible items are placed on, near, or against space heaters (this is the number one cause of space heater fires).
• Have a metal screen for fireplaces to keep sparks from flying into the room.
• Never leave space heaters on or fireplaces/wood stoves burning unattended.
• Don’t use an oven as a home heating device.
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Fire Safety Tips - Holiday
Trees
Christmas trees that are not kept moist can present a very serious fire hazard. A dried out Christmas tree can be totally consumed by fire in less than 30 seconds. Most trees sold in the Valley are from out of state and have been drying out since they were harvested, which could have been as early as mid-November. Take special precautions when buying your Christmas tree. Trees with brown shedding needles should be rejected. If the tree looks green and fresh, take a long needle and bend it between your thumb and forefinger. If it snaps, the tree is too dry. Look for trees with needles that bend. When the trunk of a tree is bounced on the ground, a shower of falling needles shows that tree is dry.

When you bring a tree home, cut about an inch off the end of the trunk. This will remove the dried end and allow the tree to absorb water. Make checkerboard cuts into the base at different angles to make a greater surface for water absorption.

Always turn off lights on trees and other decorations when you go to bed or leave your home. A short circuit in any of this equipment could cause a fire. Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. Damaged insulation in lighting on a metallic tree could cause the entire tree to be charged with electricity. To avoid this danger, use colored spotlights above or beside a metal tree, never fastened onto it.

Keep children away from light sets and electrical decorations. All lights present the problem of shock and casualty hazards for curious kids. When you are stringing the lights on your tree, be careful how you place them. Keep all bulbs turned away from gifts and paper ornaments. Lights in windows can cause curtains and drapes to ignite.

Candles
Candles are a traditional and beautiful part of the season. But they are still a direct source of fire in your home. Keep candles a safe distance from other things. And remember that a flickering flame is a thing of fascination to little children. Keep candles out of their reach.

• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens.
• Always use non-flammable holders.
• Keep candles away from other decorations and wrapping paper.
• Place candles where they cannot be knocked down or blown over.

Paper
Dispose of gift wrappings soon after opening presents. A room full of paper lying around on the floor is just one more holiday hazard. Place trash in an approved container. Do not burn wrappings in the fireplace. They may ignite suddenly and cause a flash fire.

Christmas Gifts
One of the best Christmas gifts you can get someone is a smoke detector. A smoke detector is worth so much, possibly a loved one's life, yet so inexpensive. Over 90 percent of fire deaths occur in residential dwellings between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. when occupants are asleep. Smoke detectors alert occupants when a fire is still small and there is still time to escape.

Holiday Plants
Holly and mistletoe can be fatal to a small child and the smaller the child, the smaller the dose that can cause serious medical problems. Poinsettia leaves are not fatal if swallowed, but can cause a skin rash and an upset stomach. Call 9-1-1 if your children ingest any of these holiday plants.

Trimming The Tree
When choosing the finishing touches for decorating your tree, purchase tinsel or artificial icicles of a non-leaded material. Leaded materials may be hazardous if eaten by children or pets.
Avoid any decorations that tend to break easily or have sharp edges. Keep tree trimmings that are small or have removable parts out of the reach of your child. These pieces may be swallowed.

Lights
Use only lights that have been tested for safety. Identify these by the UL label from Underwriters Laboratories or another reputable testing agency. Check each set of lights for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires or loose connections.

Check labels of lights to be used outdoors to see that they are suitable for outdoor use. Never use indoor lights outside. Fasten outdoor lights securely to trees, walls or other firm support to protect them from wind damage. Use no more than three sets of lights per single extension. Read the manufacturer's instructions carefully and do not use more than the recommended number of lights in one circuit.
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Fire Safety Tips - Parents
Playing with fire is a very serious matter. Children who set fires or play with fire can pose a very serious threat to themselves and others. Children often do not have the ability to understand why they set fires or to reason why it is wrong. Most experts agree that the best way to understand a child's fire setting is by looking at the context and motivation for the behavior.

For children ages three to seven, curiosity usually causes the child to play with fire to learn about it. Fire safety education is a great benefit at this age.

An older group, usually ages five to ten, will sometimes use fire as a "cry for help" to show their inability to cope with a sudden change or trauma. They will usually continue until the stress is relieved or they are taught safer ways to manage. Counseling and education is recommended.

Often children 10 to 14 years of age will set fires to impress peers, relieve boredom, or express defiance. Restitution and education will help in this situation. If an older child is curious about matches, show him or her the proper and safe way to use them, but only when an adult is present.

Parents can help prevent most fire setting by keeping the zone from the floor to an adult's shoulder height free of matches and lighters. Keep disposable lighters, especially if it does not have a child protective mechanism, out of reach of children. Disposable lighters look like toys to young children three or four years of age, who are developing color awareness. Whatever the reason a child starts a fire, there is help through the Phoenix Fire Department’s Youth Firesetter Intervention Program, 602-262-7757.
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Fire Station Tours
The City of Maricopa Fire Department encourages community members to visit any of our facilities. We do ask for no less than three weeks advance notice for group tour scheduling. If you are passing by and want to stop in, please feel free to do so and if time permits we will be happy to show you around.

If you see our personnel or trucks out in the community and they are available do not hesitate to visit with the firefighters.

For more information or to arrange a tour, contact the City of Maricopa Fire Department.
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Protecting your home against a fire
Fires do happen, but most can be prevented or controlled by taking measures that reduce the likelihood of one occurring. The City of Maricopa Fire Department helps to keep citizens informed as to ways to protect their homes from fire. These are some precautions you can take to help guard your home against fires:

• Regularly clean your roof and gutters.
• Inspect chimneys at least twice a year and clean them at least once a year. Keep dampers in good working order. 
• Use 1 inch mesh screen beneath porches, decks, floor areas and the home itself. Also, screen openings to the floors, roof, and attic.
• Install ABC-type fire extinguishers and a sprinkler system in your home.
• Consider installing protective shutters or heavy fire-resistant drapes.
• Keep household items accessible to be used as fire tools such as, a rake, axe, handsaw or chain saw, bucket, shovel, and a ladder that will reach the roof.
• Identify and maintain an adequate outside water source such as a small pond, cistern, well, swimming pool, or hydrant.
• Have a garden hose that is long enough to reach any area of the home and other structures on the property.
• Install freeze-proof exterior water outlets on at least two sides of the home and near other structures on the property. Install additional outlets at least 50 feet from the home.
• Consider obtaining a portable gasoline powered pump in case electrical power is cut off.
• Clean out storage areas. Don't let trash such as old newspapers and magazines accumulate.
• Check electrical wiring. Inspect cords for frayed or exposed wires or loose plugs. Do not overload extension cords or outlets. If you need to plug in two or three appliances, get a UL-approved unit with built-in circuit breakers to prevent sparks and short circuits.
• Never use gasoline, benzine, naphtha or other flammable liquids indoors. Store them in approved containers and well-ventilated storage areas and never smoke near them. Safely discard all rags or items soaked in a flammable liquid.
• Make sure your home heating source is clean and in working order.
• Many home fires are started by faulty furnaces or stoves, cracked or rusted furnace parts and chimneys with creosote build up. Call professionals for help.
• Use caution when using alternative heating sources, such as wood, coal, kerosene heaters, and electrical space heaters. Check with your local fire department on the legality of using these sources and ensure proper ventilation to the outside.
• Place heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials. Make sure the floor and nearby walls are properly insulated. Use only the type of fuel designated for your unit and follow manufacturers' instructions.
• Store ashes in a metal container outside and away from the house. Keep open flames away from walls, furniture, drapery and any flammable items. Keep a screen in front of the fireplace.
• Make sure home insulation does not touch electrical wiring.
• Know the locations of the gas valve and electric fuse or circuit breaker box and how to turn them off in an emergency. If you shut off your main gas line for any reason, allow only a gas company representative to turn it on again.

By following these tips, you can greatly reduce the risk of fire to your home as well as improve your ability to fight it should one occur.
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Public Appearance Request
The City of Maricopa Fire Department requires organizations to submit a request at least 21 days before the event in order to schedule a Public Appearance. The information needed includes your name, phone number, the name of the organization or school, the location and the date and time of the event. If the event is at a school, please provide the age group and how many children will be attending. If a speaker is requested, please provide the topic.

If you would like to schedule a Public Appearance or a tour of a Fire Station, contact the City of Maricopa Fire Department Public Education Division.
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Smoke Detectors
The following information and suggestions are basic guidelines to the selection or enhancement of a smoke detector system. This information is not intended to be the complete design of any system.  Professional assistance should always be sought when selecting or upgrading a smoke detector system.    

• Newer homes, primarily built after 1985, were equipped with smoke detectors wired directly into your household electrical service. These smoke detector units may or may not be equipped with battery back-up
• For all homes we recommend a unit that has a battery back-up to continue to protect your family during power outages
• Homes not equipped with hard wire systems will need to provide battery powered units
• Smoke detectors should be installed in every room as well as located between living spaces and sleeping rooms
• All smoke detectors, battery and hard wired, need to be tested at least monthly
• The batteries need to be replaced at least annually. In this case more is better so a good rule of thumb is provide new batteries for each of your smoke detectors as a birthday gift to each member of the family
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Wildfire Awareness
Here are a few suggestions to reduce the wildfire threat in Arizona:

• Prevention is key. Homeowners need to create and maintain defensible space around their properties by thinning vegetation and pruning back trees and brush.
• Use extreme care in the use of all fire and potentially fire causing activities whether it be for industrial, home, or recreational use. 
• Make sure campfires and smoking materials are extinguished.  
• Use spark arrestors in mechanical equipment such as chain saws and off-road vehicles.
• When you pull off a roadway, be sure not to park in grassy areas. 
• Observe “Red Flag” warnings. Those warnings will be issued by fire agencies when weather conditions are conducive to the easy start and rapid spread of wildfires. During such times, citizens should curtail activities that could cause fire and should obey all fire restrictions and area closures.
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