Fire Safety Home Prevention Tips
Fire safety begins with you and everyone that lives in your home. Fire is considered the third leading cause of home damage in the United States, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. By knowing fire safety facts and tips, you can prevent the risks of your home catching on fire, and you can prepare your family in the event a fire does occur. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
-
Kitchen Safety
-
The kitchen can be a dangerous area for house fires when the area is used improperly. When cooking, always stay in the kitchen to keep an eye on items in use and be prepared to extinguish fires with a fire extinguisher, baking soda or the lid of a pan if necessary. Never place paper, towels, or plastic bags near your stovetop when it is in use. During cooking, roll up your sleeves and remove any loose-fitting clothes that can catch fire. If grilling outdoors, ensure that your grill is at least 10 feet away from shrubbery, the house and any other flammable items.
Flammable Safety
-
Keep all lighter fluid, matches and lighters out of the reach of children and preferably in a locked cabinet. These items should never be stored next to heat sources.
-
Fireplaces
-
Always use a mesh grill or fire-safe grate over your fireplace to ensure that items or individuals do not fall into it. Never allow paper or other flammable materials to be stored by your fireplace. Perform regular maintenance on your chimney. The build up of creosote in a chimney can lead to a chimney fire in your home, and therefore creosote logs should be used as well as regular chimney sweepings.
Electrical Equipment
-
Our homes run on many electrical items such as computers, refrigerators, and washers and dryers. Ensure that your electrical outlets are in good condition and that electrical equipment does not have any frayed cords or broken plugs. Check lamps throughout the house to ensure that the proper wattage light bulb is being used in the lamp and replace bulbs that are being improperly used. Never overload outlets with numerous electrical items at once, and never use an extension cord to plug in more than three items into the same outlet. If you have outlets that are not in use, cover them with outlet covers to prevent children from placing items in them.
Smoking
-
If you choose to smoke in your home, use a deep ashtray on a sturdy table to ensure that lit cigarettes do not fall onto the ground or table. Ensure that your cigarette butts are extinguished completely prior to leaving your ashtray. When smoking outside, never toss lit cigarettes in grassy areas, bushes or on wooden surfaces.
Prepare Your Family
-
Ensure that your family has a fire safety plan in place that includes evacuation routes out of the home and a meeting place outside in the event a fire occurs. Test all smoke detectors throughout your home monthly to ensure they are properly functioning and replace batteries or units that are no longer operational. Teach your family how to use a fire extinguisher and have one installed in an easily accessible area of your home.
-
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
