What should I do if I see or smell smoke, smell a chemical release, or witness a potential medical emergency?
Call 911, the emergency telephone number for the South County Fire Authority.

What should I do if I witness an actual fire, a chemical release, a medical or similar emergency?
Call 911, the emergency telephone number for the South County Fire Authority.

What should I do if I witness something I believe is a fire hazard in a building where I work, shop, or reside?
Contact a building representative first. If your communication with this responsible party does not result in the successful resolution of your concern(s), contact the South County Fire Authority’s Prevention and Education Division at (650) 802-4255. You will confidentially be asked for your name and telephone number should a fire inspector need to follow-up with you. Sorry, anonymous reports cannot be accepted.

What should I do to protect my family and my residence from the ravages of fire?
1. Install smoke detectors inside each bedroom, in the corridor or hallway area serving the bedrooms, and at the top of each stairwell, if your residence is not already so equipped.
2. Regularly test your smoke detector(s) to ensure their proper operability.
3. Install a 2A/10BC portable fire extinguisher to combat small fires involving ordinary combustibles, flammable/combustible liquids, and energized electrical equipment. The preferable location to mount portable fire extinguishers is on a wall, 3.5 to 5 feet above the surface of the floor, near an exit or escape route.
4. Clear combustible vegetation 30 feet to 100 feet away from your residence or to the property line, whichever is closest.
5. Develop and practice an emergency escape plan involving all the occupants of your residence.
6. Ensure that ordinary and/or special fire hazards don’t exist on your property.