Taking care of your clothes dryer is important for home fire safety.

The leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean them. An estimated 2,900 home dryer fires happen every year, causing 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss.

• Don’t use a clothes dryer without a lint filter or with a lint filter that is loose, damaged or clogged.
• Don’t overload the dryer.
• Don’t use a wire screen or cloth to cover the wall damper. They can collect lint and clog the dryer vent.
• Don’t dry anything containing foam, rubber or plastic. An example of an item not to place in a dryer is a bathroom rug with a rubber backing.
• Don’t dry any item for which manufacturers' instructions state “dry away from heat.”
• Don’t dry glass fiber materials (unless manufacturers' instructions allow)
• Don’t dry items that have come into contact with anything flammable like alcohol, cooking oils or gasoline. Dry them outdoors or in a well-ventilated room, away from heat.
• Don’t leave a clothes dryer running if you leave home or when you go to bed.

We would also like to remind everyone to make sure that you have working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectorsin your home.  Make sure to test you smoke detectors once a month and replace your batteries yearly.

Please visit the Fire Department web page for a Home Fire Escape plan that you can do with your family. Practice this plan regularly so that everyone knows what to do in the event of a fire in your home. We would like to wish you a safe and happy summer. If you have any questions please contact our station at 513-932-4902.