![]() As a homeowner, you must think about fire safety in order to protect your family and your property.
1: Have Several Smoke Detectors Inside Your Home One of the best ways to protect your family is to have several smoke detectors inside your home. Install a smoke detector near the kitchen along with additional areas such as next to a fireplace or in the hallways next to bedrooms. To have emergency lighting during a fire, select smoke detectors that have battery-operated lights so that you can find exits quickly. Make sure to check the batteries in your home’s smoke detectors at least once each month. 2: Have Practice Fire Drills For Your Family Arrange a practice fire drill for your family occasionally so that everyone will know where the emergency exits are located. Before having a fire drill, post an escape plan in several places inside your home. In some cases, an exit is blocked by flames or smoke, and everyone must understand alternate escape routes, including windows. If you have a large home with a complicated structure, then mark exits with small signs to help everyone find doorways, windows or stairways. 3: Inspect the Interior and Exterior of Your Home It is imperative to inspect the exterior and interior of your home periodically to find potential fire risks. Some of the things to look for include having curtains located near stoves or fireplaces that can catch on fire when the wind blows the fabric near to flames or burners. If you have trees on your property, then it is essential to keep the long branches trimmed away from electrical power lines or your home’s venting system to prevent a fire from occurring. Contact a professional tree-trimming company to have branches cut so that the trees still look beautiful but are no longer a hazard. 4: Use Extra Care In the Kitchen The majority of home fires begin in the kitchen, and this is often caused by carelessness. Keep oven mitts and kitchen towels away from the burners on a stovetop. Make sure to stay near a stove while preparing food rather than leaving the room. Understand how to extinguish a grease fire properly with a lid or baking soda instead of water. Don’t permit your children to use a stove unless they are supervised closely by an adult. 5: Keep Combustible Materials Away From Heat Sources Never store combustible items near heat sources to prevent explosions that will lead to a fire. Combustible and dangerous items include containers of gasoline, cleansers and nail polish remover. If these items are exposed to extreme heat or flames, then the liquids will explode, leading to a fire that spreads quickly. 6: Watch Burning Candles To Prevent a Dangerous Fire Today, most homes have candles, but you must use caution while lighting and burning these items. Only adults should light a candle, and make sure that it is in a safe container that is away from flammable materials. To avoid a disaster that can lead to a large home fire, keep your family pets and children away from a burning candle. 7: Understand What To Do If Your Clothes or Hair Are On Fire Teach everyone in your family what to do if their hair or clothes catch on fire while they are cooking in the kitchen or standing near a fireplace. The stop, drop and roll technique is something that you and your children should practice after a fire drill. Monitor Fire Safety Frequently To prevent dangerous situations, make sure to monitor your home’s fire safety standards frequently. |
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