Title: Fire Prevention Tips For The Home
Firefighters will often attend a fire and there is nothing that could have prevented a random series of events, which have caused a fire. However, there are other occasions when a few simple fire prevention measures may have made some or all of the difference and even saved lives.
Basics
There are a few basic things to remember to help avoid the worst. Always have at least one smoke alarm in the house that is regularly tested and in perfect working order. If your home has more than one level, install one on each level. Batteries should be replaced each year and the alarms themselves should be replaced every ten years.
Know your escape routes; don’t put your large bird cage in front of the only window that opens in the room or stand a heavy piece of tall furniture in front of it. Make sure no matter where you are in the house, you have a plan how to get out if something happens.
If you can, install sprinklers as adding them to the home in combination with the smoke alarms significantly increases the chances of surviving a fire.
Simple Steps
More than 3,400 Americans die in fires every year and another 17,500 are injured with most of these happening in the home. A major cause of fires in the home is electrical appliances. For example, overloading extension cords or circuits can be a simple cause of wire as well as placing the under rugs where a simple spark can cause a fire. If you plug an appliance in and it splutters, sparks or has an unusual smell, then unplug it and move it away from the power source.
Another major cause of fires, even small ones, can be items such as portable heaters or grills. Remember to leave enough space around these items for them work correctly and keep anything remotely flammable at least three feet distant.
If you have a fire and chimney in the house, make sure the chimney is cleaned regularly, as this is a potential cause when creosote builds up and can catch fire.
Special Events
Different parts of the country face different fire risks due to natural phenomena such as earthquakes. There are also some things to remember if you are in an area prone to quakes that may help avoid making a bad situation worse.
When an earthquake occurs, appliances and furniture can tip over which can cause things to spill. Keep an eye out for flammable liquids in particular such as gasoline, paint thinner and lighter fuel and always store such liquids well away from heat sources in case something unexpected happens.
Pools of water from leaking pipes or spilled water storage can become electrified if there has been a quake. Turn off the power from the main breaker at the first opportunity to allow you to check around the house.
If you lose power, always use a flashlight instead of a candle as if there has been a leak of some kind, a candle can ignite the gas. Make sure your smoke alarm has a backup battery installed in case you lose main power, so you still have your fire alarms active.