Adopting from Foster Care Blog - Top Ten: Preparing for your Home Inspection -Fire Safety

Foster Adoption Blog

07/28/06

Top Ten: Preparing for your Home Inspection -Fire Safety

Posted by : Michelle Vandepas in Foster Adoption Blog at 09:13 am , 400 words, 168 views
Categories: Getting Started, Top Ten Lists

As a licensed foster, (preparing to adopt) parent, you must follow your state rules and regulations on fire safety. As part of my series on preparing your home for the inspector,

I’m listing the Colorado State statues on fire safety. They should be the same or similiar in your state - check with your local DHS office or agency to be sure.

1. Fire hazards, such as defective electrical appliances and electric cords, dangerous or defective heating equipment or flammable material stored in such a manner as to create a risk of fire shall be corrected or eliminated.

2. The family foster care home shall contain at least one U.L.-approved fire extinguisher, highly visible, easily accessible, and in working condition, weighing not less than five pounds, that has a rating of 2A, 10BC. This requirement may be waived if more extensive fire-control measures are required by a local fire department.

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3. A smoke detector, in working condition, must be installed on each level of the family foster care home and near sleeping areas.

4. No gas space heaters, open-flame gas or oil stoves, hot plates, or un-vented heaters shall be used in the family foster care home for heating purposes. No electric space heaters shall be used in the family foster care home for permanent heating purposes.

5. Flammables, aerosol paints, insecticides, chemicals, and other dangerous materials shall be locked or stored so they are inaccessible to foster children and must be stored in areas separate from sleeping or living areas. Flammables shall be stored in an approved container.

6. Heating devices such as radiators, registers, fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, and steam and hot water pipes that pose a fire or burn hazard to foster children shall be screened or otherwise protected.

7. Flammable material must not be stored near a furnace, hot water heater, or other heating device.

8. There shall be no candles or other burnable objects permitted in foster children’s sleeping areas. Foster children shall not be permitted to smoke in sleeping or storage areas.

9. Exit doors shall be clearly identified to all foster children. No lock or fastening to prevent free escape from the inside of any room used by the foster children shall be permitted.

10. Exit routes shall be kept free of discarded furniture, furnishings, laundry, and stacks of newspapers or magazines that could interfere with the prompt evacuation of the family foster care home.

Good guidelines for every family.