Protecting Your Family From a Fire
When it comes to preventing fires at your house, it takes a combination of preparation and daily prevention. Even if you do an excellent job with annual tasks, like having your chimney cleaned, you need to follow some fire safety tips every day. Here are some of the best ways to reduce the risk of fire at your house.
One of the Most Important Fire Safety Tips is to Have an Evacuation Plan
One of the best free fire safety tips is to create an evacuation plan in a fire or emergency. Plan out how to evacuate the house and where to meet outside. For example, if you live in a home with an elevator or multi-family unit, make sure that everyone knows to evacuate down the fire escape or stairs and not an elevator.
Use Child-Resistant Lighters
All matches and lighters should be stored out of the reach of children. If possible, store them in a locked cabinet Purchase lighters that are child-resistant to limit any accidents from occurring.
Practice Electrical Fire Safety Tips
Practice electrical fire safety tips every day to limit the chance of a fire happening. Some of the simplest electrical safety practices include:
- Never use cords that are frayed, cracked, or damaged
- Do not run cords underneath rugs or across doorways
- Use extension cords only for temporary purposes and put them away when you are done
- Never overload outlets or plug-in multiple power strips to one outlet
- Unplug electrical appliances or cords immediately if you smell burning or if the outlet is hot
Stop, Drop, and Roll
The most straightforward fire safety tips are also the most effective. If your clothes catch fire for any reason, instead of running, you should stop where you are, drop on the ground, and roll around to smother the fire out. Acting quickly makes the difference, so don’t hesitate.
Be Careful With Candles
Candles might make you feel more relaxed, but they can also start house fires in a matter of seconds. When you are burning candles at your home, make sure that they are at least one foot away from curtains and anything else that could catch on fire. Blow out candles before you leave the room or before you go to sleep. Trim wicks to ¼ inch before lighting them to prevent large flames.
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