Fire safety quiz: think you know fire safety? Take this quiz and find out

Science World, Jan 21, 2002

1. If there is a fire in an oven, you should

a. open the oven door and call for help.

b. turn off the heat, close the oven door, and call for help.

c. pour water into the oven.

2. Check smoke detectors once a month and change their batteries

a. once every two weeks.

b. at least once a year.

c. once every six years.

3. Electrical wiring should be placed

a. on the floor, out in the open.

b. beneath rugs and furniture.

c. in high-traffic areas.

4. If a fire burns in your home, call for help

a. before leaving the building.

b. after you've exited the building and made it to a safe place.

c. never--let someone else call for help.

5. Portable space heaters need how much clearance from flammable objects like bed sheets or curtains?

a. 2 feet (61 centimeters)

b. 3 feet (91.5 centimeters)

c. 1 foot (30.5 centimeters)

6. If a fire breaks out in a multi-story building, use the elevator

a. only if the building is two stories or higher.

b. only when other people are using the elevator.

c. never.

ANSWERS

1. b. Three in every 10 reported house fires start in the kitchen--more than any other place in the home.

2. b. Smoke detectors save lives--a minimum of one should be installed on every floor.

3. a. Only use electrical devices and appliances with labels indicating they have been inspected for safety.

4. b. In any fire, getting out of a burning building is always the number-one priority.

5. b. In 1998, two out of every three home-heating fires in the U.S. were attributed to space-heating equipment. Space heaters should always be turned off when leaving the room or going to sleep.

6. c. Any vertical shaft in a building is a vehicle for rising smoke and flames.