A house fire is among the worst type of disaster that can affect your family. In an instant, you could lose your clothes, your food and the roof over your ahead.

And in South Florida, fires are the No. 1 disaster that commands the attention of American Red Cross volunteers. From July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009, the Red Cross helped 515 families who lost everything in a fire in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.

To make sure your home is safe, please take these easy steps to prevent fires:

• Smoke alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each level of your home.
• If you close your bedroom door to sleep, place a smoke detector inside your bedroom, too.
• Test smoke alarms monthly and replace batteries when needed, at least once a year.
• Remove cobwebs and dust from your smoke alarms monthly.
• Replace your smoke alarms every 10 years - they become less sensitive over time.
• Consider buying fire extinguishers for your home and get trained in how to use them.
• Consider installing automatic fire sprinklers.
• Make an escape plan: determine at least two ways to escape from every room in your home and practice twice a year.
• If you see smoke or fire in your first escape route, use your alternate route. If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to make your escape.
• If you have to open a door to escape, feel the door first. If it is warm, use your second escape route.
• Consider using escape ladders for rooms on the second or third floor of your home. Make sure you know how to use them and keep them near windows.
• Once you're out, stay out! Call the fire department from a neighbor's home.

If you're affected by a fire

If you need the American Red Cross