How To Create A Firesafe Home

How To Create A Firesafe Home
With a little planning, you can save your home and family from fire by knowing how fires start and how to increase your home fire safety.

Common Ways Home Fires Start
Large appliances like clothes dryers or ovens, small appliances like hair dryers and toasters.
Overloaded electrical outlets, frayed or worn electrical cords, space heaters, and unattended fireplaces.
Candles, holiday decorations, and live Christmas trees.

How To Firesafe Your Kitchen
Unplug items when not in use, including your toaster, coffee maker, blender, and more. Inspect the electrical outlets for the stove, microwave, and dishwasher.
Keep towels, curtains, and paper products away from hot burners.
Never place metal in a microwave.

How To Firesafe Your Bedrooms
Turn off electric blankets, mattress pads, and space heaters before going to sleep.
Only use newer model space heaters with an automatic shut-off in case it overheats. Place space heaters away from curtains and other hazardous conditions.
Never smoke in bed or while lying on the couch to avoid the risk of falling asleep with a burning cigarette.

How To Firesafe Your Bathroom
Make sure all small appliances are unplugged when not in use.
Purchase bathroom appliances with an automatic shut-off in case you forget to turn them off.
Keep towels away from heaters and appliances that heat up.

How Fires Outside The Home Start
Wildfires
Gas line explosions
Improper trash or leaf burning
Careless storage of matches
Lightening strikes
And other natural causes

Firesafe Outside Your Home
Create a clear space of 30 feet around your home by removing all flammable vegetation and wood piles.
Create a "fuel reduction zone" by alternating the planting of tall and short plants. Remove the plants underneath tall trees to stop the rapid movement of a fire.
Remove dead branches, leaves, and pine needles from your trees, gutters, and roof, making sure you have a 10 foot clearance between tree limbs and your chimney.

Detectors And Extinguishers
Check your smoke alarms often and replace the batteries every six months. Place smoke detectors in living and sleeping areas.
Keep a fire extinguisher nearby to handle any small fires that pop up while cooking. Baking soda quickly extinguishes grease fires on top of the stove.
It is always a good idea to practice using a fire extinguisher before you actually need to.

Safeguard Your Valuable Papers
Keep important papers like birth and marriage certificates, insurance policies, and bank account information in a fire-safe box.
A bank safety deposit box also works, but you have limited access in a disaster during non-business hours.

Practice Makes Perfect
Practice 'stop, drop, and roll' so everyone knows what to do in case of fire.
Rehearse your exit plan from each room in your home. Purchase a fire escape ladder for two and three story homes. Designate a meeting spot far enough away to be clear of danger, like a neighbor's yard.
Show your children how to dial 911 so they are prepared in case of a fire or other emergency.

How To Create A Firesafe Home

by Bill Black

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