Fire is one of the most common households disasters. The secret to keeping you and your family safe -- night and day and every day of the year -- lies in thinking ahead and being prepared. Smoke detectors are a must. Put one on every level of your home and in each bedroom -- and in the garage. Test battery-operated smoke detectors regularly. Replace batteries when needed. A hard-wired model tied into your home's electric circuit is even better. Develop at least two ways to escape from every room in your home, and buy rope or chain ladders for second-floor rooms. Finally, stage family fire drills, rehearsing how to escape calmly. Remind family members to stay low as smoke rises and teach children how to 'stop, drop and roll' to extinguish flames on clothing. Finally, and most important of all, with cooler winter weather coming, be careful with things like space heaters and holiday decorations. Your family's best protection lies in preventing fire. And that's the On The House tip for today.