Gasoline Safety
There has been a steady decline in the average number of gasoline fires in homes each year since 1980 when there were 15,000 fires.

Facts & Figures

• In 1998, there were 4,700 gasoline fires in U.S. homes, resulting in 86 deaths, 463 injuries and $92 million in direct property damage.
• 53% of home gasoline fires each year between 1994 and 1998 were categorized as incendiary or suspicious. Three-quarters of civilian injuries resulted from unintentional causes such as: fuel spills or releases; using gasoline to wash parts, clean or refinish; gasoline too close to a heat source; children playing; improper storage; using gasoline to kindle a fire; and improper fueling technique.
• Matches were the most common ignition source in home gasoline fires.

Safety Tips:

• Keep gasoline out of children's sight and reach.
• Do not use or store gasoline near possible ignition sources (i.e., electrical devices, oil- or gas-fired appliances, or any other device that contains a pilot flame or a spark).
• Store gasoline outside the home (i.e., in a garage or lawn shed) in a tightly closed metal or plastic container approved by an independent testing laboratory or the local or state fire authorities. Never store gasoline in glass containers or non-reusable plastic containers (i.e., milk jugs).
• Store only enough gasoline necessary to power equipment and let machinery cool before refueling it.
• Never use gasoline inside the home or as a cleaning agent.
• Clean up spills promptly and discard of clean-up materials properly.
• Do not smoke when handling gasoline.
• Never use gasoline in place of kerosene.
• Use caution when fueling automobiles. Do not get in and out of the automobile when fueling. Although rare, an electrical charge on your body could spark a fire, especially during the dry winter months.
• Only fill portable gasoline containers outdoors. Place the container on the ground before filling and never fill containers inside a vehicle or in the bed of a pick-up truck. 
• Do not use cellular phones or other electrical devices while fueling vehicles.
• For more information on gasoline safety, visit the American Petroleum Institute Web site.

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When you need to find out important weather, disaster and health related information and you can't access the Internet, tune your radio to WNEG, 1620 on your AM dial. This information station operated by the City of Anchorage provides information you need to know 24 hours a day, 356 days a year.