More than three hundred and fifty thousand fires occur each year and often within the homes of seniors. Some of the leading causes include cooking, portable heaters, smoking, and faulty electrical equipment. Here are a few ways you can prevent electrical fires. Call an electrician if you see a discolored wall plate, smell a burning odor or if you hear crackling or buzzing sounds coming from a receptacle or wall switch. Make sure that all appliances are plugged directly into a receptacle. Never plug two extension cords into each other. Don’t run extension cords through walls or doorways and don’t cover cords. Avoid nailing or stapling cords or substituting extension cords for permanent wiring. Have a licensed electrician install an arc fault circuit interrupter, an AFCI circuit breaker, and only purchase appliances that have been approved by a nationally approved testing laboratory. For more electrical safety tips, visit esfi.org