October is Fire Prevention Month. We are going to take this opportunity to review key steps you need to take to keep your family and friends protected from the risk of injury or worse from a household fire. There are millions of household fires each year. These fires result in fatalities and injuries that affect children and elderly adults the most. Property damage includes the home, personal belongings and financial hardship. According to the National Fire Prevention Association, house fires caused $6.9 billion in property damage in a five-year period. Common causes of household fires are cooking, heating equipment, electrical malfunctions and smoking. Ways to protect your home and family from this include the steps recommended here.
Create a fire escape plan. To do this, identify escape routes for every room in your home. You need primary and secondary exits in case the primary is blocked. Use doors and windows where possible as escape options. Make sure these escape routes are kept clear of any obstacles that might delay or block someone’s ability to get out of the home quickly. Next designate a meeting place outside the home where everyone can safely gather after escaping. Assign tasks to family members including calling emergency services, assisting children and elderly people and someone needs to be taking roll call to make sure everyone made it out of the home. Be sure these people know they have this task in an emergency and know what to do when called upon to do it. Next rehearse the drills regularly. Conducting fire drills at least twice per year keeps every familiar with the plan so they can execute it quickly and remember what to do once they are safely away from the fire. It also helps you see when changes are needed and allows your family to learn these changes so your fire escape plan is still efficient when it must be put into action. When making this plan remember to consider anyone with any special needs including disabilities or medical appliances that they cannot live without. Make sure your pets are part of your escape plan including how to safely get them out of the home and have a safe place for them to stay until they can be returned to the home. During drills make sure everyone knows where fire extinguishers are located and how to use them. Make sure everyone knows how to contact each other and emergency services in case you do not meet up with your person who was assigned this task right away. Practice staying low since smoke rises so oxygen will be closer to the ground.
Assemble an emergency supply kit that includes essential items such as water, non-perishable food, a flashlight, batteries, a first-aid kit, a multi-tool, important documents, prescription medications, and personal hygiene items. Ensure your kit is tailored to your family's needs, including medical conditions or dietary restrictions. Stash pet food, bowls, extra leashes, ID tags, medications, and carriers or crates for your four-legged family members. Keep a list of emergency contacts in your emergency kit, including phone numbers for family members, neighbors, schools, doctors, and emergency services. Keep copies of essential documents (birth certificates, passports, insurance policies, wills, etc.) in a waterproof and fireproof container.
Smoke alarms are crucial for early detection of fires meaning there is a chance to extinguish it before it gets out of control or at least gives the family members more time to escape. Place smoke alarms outside each sleeping area, in hallways, in common living areas and in the basement if you have one so that there are detectors on every level of your home. While it is recommended that smoke alarms be installed in the kitchen, cooking smoke may cause false alarms. Ideally, smoke alarms are mounted on the ceiling of these rooms as smoke rises so this is the best place to monitor it. Consider using combination alarms that are hardwired into the home’s electrical system and also have a battery back up if possible. This will help keep the detectors working during power outages and if the battery goes dead before you remember to replace it. Some alarm systems can be connected so all the alarms go off in your home when one detects smoke so the whole family will be aware faster. You can also install detectors that monitor for carbon monoxide as well as smoke for the best protection. Test your detectors monthly to ensure they are working properly. Batteries should be replaced at least once per year even if they are still working properly and each time you get a low battery warning. Using these batteries until they are fully used up is not the place to save money.
Regularly checking your home fire extinguishers is essential for ensuring they are ready to use in case of an emergency. Inspect the extinguishers monthly for any signs of damage or leaks. Have the extinguishers checked annually to make sure they are in proper working order and the safety pins are in place. The pressure gauge should be in the green zone indicating it is fully charged. The hose should be free of kinks or other damage. The nozzle should be clear and unobstructed. Check the expiration date. If it is expired, replace it immediately. The fire extinguishers should be placed in easily accessible and visible areas where fires are most likely to occur, including the kitchen, living room and bedrooms. There are different types of extinguishers so know what you need in each area. Multipurpose extinguishers are suitable for most household fires where the source is an ordinary combustible such as paper, wood, cloth or plastic. Kitchen extinguishers are made for grease and oil fires. Electrical extinguishers are made for fires caused by electrical malfunctions like faulty wiring. Chemical extinguishers are used for specific types of chemical fires which are more commonly found in commercial properties than residential homes.
Have heating systems inspected annually before the cold season starts. This includes furnaces, fireplaces, and any heating sources such as space heaters, floorboard heaters, etc. This is not a DIY project. Take the time to set an appointment with a professional to perform these inspections. Clean the chimneys and flues before you start to burn anything in any fire places and just because it is a good reminder, clean your oven hood and vent as well since grease buildup in these areas can also be a potential fire hazard.
Educate your family about fire safety. The old adage “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is really appropriate in this case. Children are never too young to learn about fire safety. Be sure they understand to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire and to stay low to the ground to stay safe from smoke inhalation. They need to understand how important it is to never hide during a fire. They need to escape from the home and go to their family so everyone knows they are safe. Children should also be taught how and when to call 911 so they can help get help in case of a fire or an emergency. On the preventative side, children need to understand that matches, lights, candles, stoves, electrical outlets and cords are not toys and should never be played with or used without adult supervision at the very least. In most cases where heat sources are involved, it is safer to teach them to never touch them. You will have to tailor your explanation to match your children’s ages and teach them that extinguishers are for adults to use in emergencies. Be sure your children are included in all fire drills so they can practice and understand what to do in a fire as well. Teach everyone in the home how to use each cooking appliance safely, and stress that under no circumstances every leave anything cooking unattended. Kitchen fires are the most common so this is a key lesson to be sure EVERYONE understands. Make sure everyone also knows to store flammable materials, such as gasoline, paint, and cleaning products, in a safe and well-ventilated area, away from heat sources.
Preventing fires is important year round, not just during Fire Prevention Month. Make sure everyone knows the importance of fire safety and what to do in an emergency. If you do have a fire, first get everyone out and make sure they are safe. Call the fire department for help. Once the fire is out and it is safe to return to the home, call ServiceMaster of Gwinnett and ServiceMaster 5 Points to help you with your fire damage restoration.
