This
week is National Fire Safety Week, so it seems as good a time as any to talk
about how to take the proper precautions to protect your family in case of a
fire.
First
and foremost is making sure your home not only has proper working smoke alarms,
but that there is also enough of the alarms in the household. There needs to be
at least one alarm on each floor of the home. Ideally there is a smoke alarm
located near each of the sleeping areas as well. Make sure the alarms can be
heard in the bedrooms, even if the doors are closed. If not, place them inside
the bedrooms as well. Since smoke rises, the alarms should be placed high on a
wall or on the ceiling. If they are on the ceiling, they need to be at least
four inches away from the wall. If your alarm is ten years old, replace it. You
should also replace the alarm if it has ever been painted over. It is a good
rule of thumb to replace the batteries in the alarm when you change the clocks
for Daylight Savings Time (Sunday, November 4th this year).
After
making sure that you have the proper alarms, next it is important to have a
fire extinguisher in the home. No, this will not prevent fires, nor will it
stop a large fire. However, it can stop small fires or help you get out of your
home in the case of larger ones. An ABC-type fire extinguisher is a good one to
have in the home. Check the gauge on the extinguisher to see if it needs to be
replace or recharged. Make sure you keep it in an easily accessible area.
Always vacate the home and call the fire department before trying to control
any fire. Make sure you read the directions on how to properly use the
extinguisher. It is a contained can of chemicals, so please use them with
caution. If you do use one, aim for the base of the fire, not the flames.
Talk to
your children about not playing with matches, lighters, candles, incense, etc.
Let them know that putting anything in an electrical socket is dangerous. Tell
them to keep clothes, blankets, and other objects off of lamps and heaters.
Practice with them that if ever they or their clothing catches on fire to use
Stop, Drop, and Roll as a way to smother the flames. Use these websites: Safe
Kids and US Fire
Administration for Kids to help teach your children fire safety. Also make
sure they (and you!) do not overload the electrical sockets. Too many plugs or
extension cords are a big fire hazard, especially around the holidays. Never
run cords underneath a carpet or throw rug.
Lastly,
your family needs to have a fire escape plan. When I was younger, almost every
year in elementary school, my teacher assigned this as a homework around this
time of year. Go over the plan with your family and even practice fire drills.
Have two ways out of your home in case one way is blocked. Have a common
meeting area that everyone in the family knows to go to. For more information
about making an escape plan, please visit FEMA
and their page on making plans.
