If your smoke detector goes off or if you notice a fire, remain calm. Do not try to fight a major fire.

PLAN AHEAD

• Keep a portable ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher in your home. Wet K class extinguishers are recommended for stove top fires.
• Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in the kitchen and within 15 feet of each bedroom entrance. Check the batteries at least twice a year like at daylight-saving times.

IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE:

• If a fire breaks out in your house or non-fireproof apartment building (generally six stories or fewer), get everyone out as soon as possible and close (but do not lock) all doors behind you.
• If your clothes catch on fire, Stop where you are, Drop to the ground, and Roll over and over to smother the flames. Cover your face to protect your lungs from the smoke.
• If you live in a high-rise multiple dwelling, and the fire is not in your apartment, stay in your apartment rather than entering smoke-filled hallways. Keep windows closed, especially if the fire is in the apartment below.
• In high-rise office buildings, only evacuate if the fire is on your floor or the one above it, and descend to the second floor below the fire floor. Other occupants should stay on their floor and monitor the PA system for further instructions.
• Feel doors with the back of your hand before you open them. If they are hot, find another way out.
• When exiting, stay as close to the floor as possible — smoke and heat rise and the air is clearer and cooler near the floor. Close doors behind you.
• If you are unable to get out of your home for any reason, stay near a window and close to the floor. Close the door and stuff the bottom with a towel to avoid smoke. If possible, signal for help by waving a cloth outside the window.
• Call 911 from a safe place such as a neighbor’s house.
• Do not stop to get anything.
• Do not use the elevator.   
• Consider renter’s insurance if you rent an apartment.
• For more fire safety information, refer to the FDNY's fire safety Web site, or call 311.

Brush Fires

New York City's outer-borough grasslands are prone to brush fires in the hot summer months, when vegetation is dry. Residents of these communities should take steps to make their homes less vulnerable to wildfires.

LANDSCAPING

• Keep your lawn, trees, and plants well-watered.
• Mow regularly. Clear weeds, cut grass, and dry vegetation from around your home.
• Trim dead wood from trees. Remove branches less than 10' from the ground.
• Use non-flammable plants for landscaping.
• Do not plant trees and plants too close to structures and under overhangs or eaves.

HOME MAINTENANCE

• Properly dispose of trash and debris, removing furniture, boxes and other material from your property.
• Store flammable liquids properly. Refuel garden equipment carefully.
• If you smoke, use an ashtray and dispose of cigarettes carefully.
• Keep the roof clean and clear. Remove leaf clutter from roof and gutters.
  

The NYC Fire Department offers additional safety tips for protecting your home and surroundings from brush fires.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TERMS

Fire Weather Watch - A Fire Weather Watch is used to advise of the possible development of a red flag event in the near future. Usually fire danger is in the very high to extreme category. A Fire Weather Watch will normally be issued 12 to 24 hours in advance of the expected onset of severe fire weather conditions.

Red Flag Warning - A Red Flag Warning is issued to indicate the imminent danger of severe fire weather with a relatively high probability of occurrence. Usually the fire danger is in the very high to extreme category. A Red Flag Warning will normally be issued for potential severe fire weather events in less than 12 hours. A Red Flag Warning may or may not be preceded by a Fire Weather Watch.