This week is Fire Prevention Week – Are you prepared in the event of a home fire?
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced their theme for fire safety this year as, “Look. Listen. Learn. Be aware – fire can happen anywhere.”
Did you know that cooking is the third leading cause of fire deaths in the U.S.? Or that each year, more than 4,000 Americans die in fires? How about that an estimated $8.6 billion is directly lost due to fires each year? Many of these fires can be prevented.
When preparing your family and your house for a fire, there are multiple ways to help make sure you’re covered:
- Make sure you have smoke alarms with fresh batteries in each room of your house.
- Test your smoke alarms every month and replace batteries at least once every year.
- Create a fire escape plan showing all doors and windows of your home, then discuss the map with everyone in your home.
- When creating a fire escape plan, plan for two escapes out of every room.
- Consider installing home fire sprinklers – Home fire sprinklers have a quicker response time, are easy to install and could potentially reduce your homeowner’s insurance policy.
- Sleep with your door closed because in the event of a fire, it helps prevent it from spreading quickly.
To reduce your risk of a fire, here are some helpful suggestions to consider:
- Replace appliances that spark, smell unusual or overheat.
- Don’t run electrical wires under rugs.
- Make sure lamps and night lights are not touching bed spreads, drapes or other fabrics.
- Use caution when using electric blankets.
- Don’t leave candles, candle warmers or space heaters unattended for long periods of time.
- Check the fireplace prior to starting fires and consider using a screen to keep sparks from jumping out.
- For any outdoor fire pits, make sure to check several times that all sparks are put out after fire is extinguished.
- During the Christmas season, if you have a living tree, be sure to water it daily so it doesn’t dry out with electric lights strung around it.
