A Well-Defended Home for You and Your Family
Fires are a constant threat to a home. Fire protection is essential to keeping your family safe from fire-related injuries.
If a fire breaks out at home, you have as little as two minutes to escape.
That’s true for even the smallest of fires. You need to put systems in place and enforce guidelines in the event of a fire. Doing so can save your family’s lives.
Here are tips for fire safety at home.
First and foremost, you have to sit down with your family and impress upon them the importance of fire safety.
If you don’t stress the importance of what you’re doing, your children will not see why it’s vital to learn fire safety guidelines you lay down at home.
Once you’ve talked to a family, practice your escape plan at least twice a year. This method keeps the guidelines fresh in your memory.
Don’t practice in the event of the fire. It’s like practicing basketball on the day of the big game.
When a fire starts, the first goal is to get out and stay out, then you can call for help. Don’t allow anyone to go back inside for anything.
Fire Protection: A Combination of Planning, Preparation, Common Sense, and The Right Systems In Place
To protect your family from fires, you need to plan and prepare. In the event of a fire, you need to think on your feet. Other than that, you also need the right fire detection systems in place.
Make An Escape Plan
Create an escape plan that’s easy to understand and make sure every member of your family fully understands it.
You can add information such as exit routes and meeting places and emergency numbers to call for when you are safe outside your home.You can even have an infographic of this escape and emergency plan on the walls. It’s easier to commit to memory that way.
Have Fire Drills
If you want the emergency plan to be ingrained in your children’s heads, then practice it as a family together.
Your children know that if they want to be good at something, they have to practice. The same goes for any human: practice makes perfect.
Allow your children to practice by themselves too.
Every Home Has Fire Danger Zones: Find Out What Yours Are
Your Kitchen
Your kitchen is a high-risk zone. It’s where you cook and use electric-powered kitchen appliances such as ovens, toasters, kettle heaters, etc. Be on the safe side by not overloading your electrical outlets with multiple appliances. And unplug when not in use and before heading to bed. Check that your gas stove is leak-free. Check that all its connections are safe if it’s electric. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. When cooking, keep a fire blanket within easy reach of the stove to stamp out oil fires.
The Garage
Your garage contains flammable liquids such as cans of paint, petrol, as well as gas canisters, and more, making it a high-risk zone. If something in your garage generates heat, make sure flammable items are kept away from it. Dispose of paint and oil-soaked rags. Unplug power tools when not in use. Oil-powered tools should be turned on outside the garage. Make sure the door between the garage and your home is a solid one to prevent the fire from spreading into your home.
The Bedrooms
Any room where people are staying most of the time is high-risk areas. Because humans bring with them electric devices that can cause fires. Make sure electric blankets, lamps, and TVs are unplugged when not in use. Put out candles after using them. Avoid smoking in the room.
Install Smoke Detectors Or Smoke Alarms
A smoke detector and smoke alarm are necessary to alert your family to a fire. These simple devices can make a world of a difference in case a fire breaks out in your home. Many states are, by law, required to install smoke alarms in each bedroom. Make sure your home is compliant with your local fire safety laws.
If your smoke alarm is battery-powered, regularly check if the batteries are good and the devices are still working.
Replace batteries at least twice a year. If you cannot remember the last time you changed them, then change them now!
Install one in every room, which means in the kitchen, in the bedroom, living room, etc.
Replace smoke detectors that are very old. Smoke detectors are continually improved, and the latest ones can provide a better level of fire protection to you and your family.
Acquaint yourself with the sound of your smoke alarm going off. Make sure that every member of your family knows that sound so that the moment it goes off, each one of you can act immediately!
Remember, time is of the essence in case of a fire!
Have A Fire Extinguisher In Your Home
Make sure you have a fire extinguisher at home and that it’s within easy reach. The best place for it would be just by the door and never in an area where a fire could likely develop. A fire extinguisher can help extinguish a small fire, but it is not adequate in a big fire. Make sure to call your fire department and make sure every member of your family can recite it from memory.