The safest way to survive a fire is to prevent one from happening in the first place. To do this, you need to be aware of the risks that are found in every home—and how to keep them under control in yours. Here are five steps to a strong fire prevention plan for families and individuals.

Don’t smoke inside.  Cigarettes are a leading cause of fire in the home—particularly fire resulting in death. One possible reason is that it’s not as uncommon as you’d think for people to fall asleep while smoking in bed or on a comfortable sofa or chair. A lit cigarette can easily fall into someone’s lap and smoulder until it lights clothes and blankets on fire.  The easy way to prevent this is to institute a new house rule: no smoking inside, ever. You’ll need to be awake outside.

Be careful in the kitchen.  The kitchen is the most dangerous area of the house when it comes to fire risks. Most kitchen fires start as a result of leaving cooking food unattended, even for a few minutes; leaving flammable cloths or utensils near an open flame; or cooking while wearing long-sleeved clothes that get too close to fire.  Prevent this by keeping the area around your stove clear at all times, rolling up your sleeves while cooking, and never leaving cooking food unattended on the stove.

Lock up your flammables.  Matches, lighter fluid, and any other fire-starting materials should be kept under lock and key if you have kids in the house.  Household cleaners that are particularly flammable include paint remover, furniture polish and stripping materials, disinfectants, floor wax, paints, and automotive products including gasoline and motor oil.

Make sure your kids know about fire safety.  Young children should know the risks of playing with matches. In addition, don’t allow children to have candles or incense in their rooms without an adult present at all times. Make sure your kids know how to safely operate the stove and any fireplaces or wood stoves in your home.

Get your chimneys checked. Your chimneys will have to be checked on a yearly basis to prevent creosote buildup that can cause chimney fires—whether you have a fireplace, wood stove, or simply a home heating system. Be sure to choose a reputable professional company.

Watch your electrical cords. It’s common for electrical cords to fray if they’re left in high traffic areas where they can be walked on—and this can cause electrical fires. So can overloaded power strips. Make sure you don’t have a lot of heavy electrical appliances on the same power strip and that your electrical cords are all well out of reach of foot traffic.

Your fire prevention plan should reflect a working understanding of the most common causes of fire in the home. Protect against fires caused by cooking, cigarettes, worn-out electrical cords and overloaded sockets, curious kids, and other possible hazards, and you should be able to improve your chances of never experiencing a fire in your home.