Fire Safety Our homes are usually the most expensive ever buy us. Not only do they represent a significant financial investment, but our house is a big emotional investment. They are places where we raise our families and celebrate our lives. Our homes are our refuge from a busy world - a safe place where we live, love and grow together. Yet the United States alone there are over 500,000 home fires each year are serious enough to require a call to the fire department. Worse yet, each year more than 4,000 Americans die in home fires and approximately 20,000 are injured. Tragic statistics indeed, but equally tragic is that the vast majority of these fires and injuries and deaths are preventable.
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Ten tips for fire safety
1. Install smoke detectors
The most important purchase you can make your home smoke alarms. Smoke alarms can double your chances of surviving a fire. Most deaths in home fires are not fire, but smoke. Homes should have at least one smoke alarm to all levels. Some smoke detectors are fully functional, they must be tested monthly, free of dust and the batteries are replaced every year. The smoke alarm itself should be replaced every ten years or as recommended by the manufacturer.
2. Plan an escape route
If a fire occurs, we must leave quickly. Being awakened by a smoke alarm at 2:00 am is not the time to have to think about how you and your family safe. You must plan ahead by sitting with your family and go on an evacuation plan that includes at least two exits from each room. If you live in an apartment building, your evacuation plan must not include elevators. Finally, when developing your escape plan to decide on a safe meeting place outside where everyone meets after the escape. Your household should practice the escape plan twice a year.
3. Beware of Smoking
The main cause of fire deaths is careless smoking. Avoid smoking in bed and take great care to make great ashtrays available to smokers throughout your household. Cigarettes can smolder under and around furniture upholstered unnoticed only to degenerate into full inferno minutes later.
4. Take care cooking
Never leave your fire unattended. Also, be aware of flammable materials like curtains, tea towels or loose clothing around the cooking areas. To avoid spillage of hot oil or boiling water to make sure that pot handles inward are on fire so they can not be struck or seized by the children. If cooking oil in a saucepan cover the pan immediately ignite with a lid. Under no circumstances should you pour water on a grease fire. This will cause the fire to spread and projections.
5. Space for Space Heaters
Whether electric or kerosene heaters fuel to other local need space. They must be kept at least three feet from anything that can burn. Always keep children and pets away from heaters and never leave them unattended when you leave the house.
6. Matches, lighters and children do not mix
Children are often fascinated by fire. Teach your children that matches and lighters are tools, not toys, should never be played with and should be used only by adults. Store all matches and lighters where children can neither see nor reach them. Because children are naturally curious, please check under the bed of your children, in closets and other places where they can hide matches or lighters in their bedrooms.
7. Electricity use with caution
Replace cracked or frayed cords quickly on the devices. If a device sparks, odor or fumes disconnect.
Posted on February 12, 2010.
