Fire Safety
Fire Hazards
The best way to protect yourself from fire is to understand how it works.
- Fire is FAST. In just two minutes, a fire can become life-threatening. In five minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames.
- Fire is DARK. Fire produces gases that make you disoriented and drowsy. Instead of being awakened by fire, you may fall into a deeper sleep. Asphyxiation is the leading cause of fire deaths, exceeding burns by three-to-one.
- Fire is HOT. Inhaling the super hot air can sear your lungs.
Fire is the number one emergency in the United States. Each year, more than 4,000 Americans die in fires, more than 25,000 are injured in fires and more 100 firefighters are killed while on duty. Most of these deaths occur in residences and could have been prevented.
Safe Home Heating
Many home fires are caused by home heating methods, especially when the power goes out:
- Never use a stove top or oven to try and heat your home
- Keep all space heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials
- All heating devices need to be plugged directly into the wall, no extension cords or power strips
Space Heaters
- Always make sure your space heater has 3 feet of space from anything that can burn
- Make sure your space heater has safety features like automatic shut-off
Install Fire and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
- Try and choose interconnected smoke alarms, so when one sounds the entire home is alerted
- Put smoke alarms inside and outside each bedroom and sleeping area. Put alarms on every level of the home
- Test your smoke alarms every month
- When you hear a smoke alarm, you may have less than 2 minutes to get everyone outside safely
Replace your smok
e alarms every ten years, any battery operated smoke alarms (unless they are attached to an alarm system) should be properly disposed of.
Create and Practice a Family Escape Plan
- Walk through your home and inspect all possible exits, escape routes and fire alarms. Draw a floor plan of your home, marking two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Make sure that designated windows open and you have an escape ladder for second or third story windows.
- Choose an outside meeting place (such as a neighbor's house or a nearby stop sign) a safe distance in front of your home where family members know to meet after they escape from the fire.
- Make sure that your house number is visible from the road. If not, mark it on a visible location on your home.
- If there are infants, older adults, or family members with mobility limitations, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them in the fire drill and in the event of an emergency. Assign a backup person as well, in case the designee is not home during the emergency.
- If windows or doors in your home have security bars, make sure that the bars have emergency release devices inside so that they can be opened immediately in an emergency.
- Once you're out, stay out! Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, inform the fire department dispatcher when you call. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform rescues.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
- Practice your home fire es
cape plan twice a year, making the drill as realistic as possible.
- Allow children to master fire escape planning and practice before holding a fire drill at night when they are sleeping. The objective is to practice, not frighten, so telling children there will be a drill before they go to bed can be as effective as a surprise drill.
- When you do your fire drill, everyone in the family should practice getting low and going under the smoke to your exit.
- Closing doors on your way out slows the spread of fire, giving you more time to safely escape.
Common Household Hazards

- Smoking, lit cigarettes
- Unattended stove tops and burners
- Unattended candles
- Dryer link traps that are not cleaned regularly
- Old, worn or frayed electrical cords
- Overloaded electrical outlets and power strips
- Unsafe fireplaces and stoves
Batteries
- Used and dead batteries can remain a fire hazard. Place tape over battery terminals before disposal or recycling.
- Keep lithium batteries in cool dry place.
- Only use lithium batteries designed for the device you want to charge
Fire Service in Bowie
The City of Bowie is primarily served by four fire stations. All emergency fire, rescue, and police calls need to go through 911. The telephone numbers provided below are for non-emergency and information purposes only. In an emergency, always call 911.
Bowie is served by a combination of paid career Prince George's County Firefighters and by members of the Bowie Volunteer Fire Department (BVFD).
Station 19 - Huntington/ Old Bowie 13008 9th Street | 301-262-0501 |
Station 39 - Belair (at Free State Shopping Center) 15454 Annapolis Road | 301-262-0502 |
Station 43 - Pointer Ridge/ Mitchellville 16408 Pointer Ridge Dr | 301-249-2062 |
Station 816 - Northview 14901 Health Center Drive | 301-583-2200 |