Reduce the risk of fires

Fact: Fires are the leading cause of injury-related death among children 1-4 years old.

Fact: Most of those child fatalities are a result of smoke inhalation during house fires.

Fact: Of all injuries, fire-related burns require the longest lengths of stay in hospitals and are the most expensive injuries to treat.

Fact: The most frequent cause of house fires is heating, followed by cooking and electrical fires.

In honor of October being National Fire Prevention Month, Allstate Insurance Company is providing consumers with critical reminders for reducing the risk of a fire and fire-related injuries as well as tips to keep in mind should a fire occur in your home.

The following reminders are from Allstate's Fire Safety brochure:

• Create a fire evacuation plan for your family. Practice a fire drill at least once a year.
• Test smoke detectors and their batteries at least once a month. Replace smoke detectors every 10 years.
• Inspect your fire extinguisher periodically to see if it needs to be recharged or replaced.
• Never leave an unsupervised space heater on. Keep all space heaters away from flammable materials, such as furniture, draperies and rugs.
• Have your fireplace inspected and your chimney cleaned every year.
• Clean the lint from your dryer hose periodically. Fires have been known to start from lint overheating.
• Don't dress your lamps with fabric, especially halogen lamps.

-Information obtained from the NYS Department of Health