Fire

• Guide to Selling Residences in Hopkinton
• Fire Prevention, Permits and Inspections 

• TOWN OF HOPKINTON HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN

Burn Awareness Week
This week is National Burn Awareness Week. Please review the following safety reminders and help prevent burn injuries.

Preventing Burns and Scalds

Hot drink safety 

• Never hold a baby and a cup of hot liquid. A wiggling baby can cause a spill on himself or on you.  
• Keep hot liquids away from babies and small children. Put drinks and soups in the center of the table away from curious fingers. 
• Replace tablecloths with place mats to prevent children from pulling everything on a table onto themselves.

Tap water safety

• It takes only one second for water at 155 F to cause a third degree burn.
• Set your hot water heater to 125 F or less. Massachusetts law requires a temperature  between 110 F and 130 F.
• Supervise young children in the bath and face them away from faucets. Babies and toddlers can turn on hot water when you turn your back.

Cooking safety

• Children under age five are 5 times more likely to be burned by cooking than others.
• Keep children away from stoves, grills, campfires and fireplaces. This protects them from cooking liquids, grease, and hot metal.
• Stay away from stove burners and from flames. Turn pot handles inward on the stove top.
• Don't wear loose clothing near fire, grills or stoves.
• Keep appliance cords out of reach of children.
• Turn off unattended irons.
• Never use gasoline to start a fire. Use starter fluid with caution.
• Never smoke in bed.
• Use sunscreen.

Glass front fireplaces are a burn risk

• Glass front fireplaces have surface temperatures of 172 degrees F and have caused contact burns in young children.
• Beginning in 2015, protective barriers were required on new installations of vented gas fireplaces.
• Many homes, hotels and resorts have unprotected glass front fireplaces. Supervise children with care near all glass front fireplaces. 

Treating Burns and Scalds

• Remove victims from danger and call 911.
• Run burns under cool water. Do not put butter, grease or ointment on a burn.
• Flush chemical burns continuously.
• Remove watches or jewelry from a burned area.
• Don't remove clothing from a burn.
• Cover burn with a clean sheet or towel.

Seasonal Safety Tips





The Do's and Dont's of Wood Stove Safety

• DO—make sure there is enough clearance between the stove and combustible materials, including floors, walls and ceilings.
• DO—place the stove on a noncombustible, fire resistant base.
• DO—have a mason or other competent person inspect and clean the chimney.
• DO—burn only dry, well-seasoned wood.
• DO—consider opening a window a crack for ventilation.
• DO—dispose of ashes in a closed metal container outside the house.
  
  
• DON’T—start a stove fire with flammable fluids, such as gasoline.
• DON’T—burn trash in a stove; doing so can start a chimney fire.
  
• DON’T—let a wood fire burn unattended or overnight.

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