A new survey commissioned by the Home Safety Council shows American parents cited fire as their top safety risk over other potential home hazards.

During National Fire Safety Month i, the Home Safety Council is unveiling new educational materials, called Be Safe and Sound, to help educate American families about the common causes of home fires and the actions they can take to prevent fires and protect themselves if fire does strike.

Home Safety Council research shows that fire is the third leading cause of injury-related death within the home, but only 19 percent of homes regularly test their smoke alarms and just 54 percent of homes with children have discussed a home fire escape plan. The Be Safe and Sound materials focus on the basics of home fire safety, including prevention, early warning and quick escape.

In honor of Fire Safety Month, the Home Safety Council is offering the public free home fire safety materials online at www.homesafetycouncil.org/firesafetymonth. The website also provides a fire safety checklist.

"With the right information and a very small investment of time, every family can make their home safer," Appy said.

The Home Safety Council offers the following guidelines for installing and testing smoke alarms at home:

* Purchase smoke alarms that are listed by UL and carry the UL mark on packaging.

* Install smoke alarms on every level of the home, including the basement, and outside the rooms where people sleep. The Home Safety Council recommends installing additional smoke alarms inside each bedroom or sleeping area.

* Smoke rises, so smoke alarms should be mounted high on walls or ceilings. Ceiling mounted alarms should be installed at least four inches away from the nearest wall; wall-mounted alarms should be installed four to 12 inches away from the ceiling.

* Choose an installation location that is well away from the path of steam from bathrooms and cooking vapors from the kitchen, which can result in "nuisance" alarms.

* Place smoke alarms well away from windows, exterior doors and air ducts, where drafts can interfere with their operation.

* Test all smoke alarms at least once a month, following the manufacturer's instructions, or push the "test button" on the face of the alarm cover. Install fresh batteries at least once a year; sooner if the alarm makes a regular chirping signal, indicating low battery power.

* When possible, the Home Safety Council recommends using interconnected smoke alarms. Hard-wired, interconnected alarms with battery back-up run on household wiring and are tied in together so that if one alarm operates, they all signal together. Also, wireless technology is now available to enable homes to have an interconnected smoke alarm system that can be installed independent of household wiring.

* Smoke alarms should be replaced with new units every 8-10 years.

Research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology finds there are typically less than three minutes to escape from a home fire, so early warning from smoke alarms and a well-rehearsed fire escape plan is essential for every household.

The Home Safety Council recommends the following guidelines for developing and practicing a home fire escape plan.

* Sketch out a floor plan of the home, showing all rooms, windows, interior and exterior doors, stairways, fire escapes and smoke alarms. Make sure that every family member is familiar with the layout.

* Choose a place outside, in front of your home, where the family will meet and wait for the fire department. Mark this place on your escape plan.

* Select two escape routes from each room and mark them clearly on the plan.

* Keep escape paths clear and find and fix anything in your home that could interfere with a quick escape, such as windows that are stuck or heavy furniture blocking an exit.

* If there is a multi-story home, consider purchasing fire escape ladders for upstairs bedrooms. If so, they should be stored near the windows and made part of fire drills, deployed safely from a ground-floor window for practice.

* Push the "test button" on a smoke alarm to ensure family members recognize the sound of the alarm and to signal the start of the fire drill.

* Make copies of the escape plan sketches and post them in each room until everyone becomes familiar with them.

* Practice makes perfect. Every second counts during a real fire. Hold family fire drills frequently and at various times until the escape plans become second nature.

For additional free resources to help stay safe in and around the home check out www.homesafetycouncil.org/firesafetymonth.