Tag Archives: fire escape plan

4 Important Reasons for having a Fire Extinguisher in the Home

Did you know that there’s been 355,400 home fires between 2012 and 2016? These fires caused 11,670   injuries, 2,560 deaths, and $6.5 billion in damages. Only 75% of homes own a fire extinguisher, that when used correctly, could make the difference between a small flare-up or extensive damage and injuries.

Now, let’s look at 4 important reasons for having a fire extinguisher in the home.

1. Cooking Fires are a Large Cause of Injuries
About 65% of home fires were from home cooking. More than half of cooking fire injuries happened when people tried to fight the fire themselves.

The type of fire extinguisher for the kitchen are either a combined A-B-C Class, or a specific one like K Class for grease and oil fires. These are best stored on a wall or under the sink for easy and quick access. Don’t mount it next to the stove, you don’t want to reach through the flames to grab it.

2. The Garage is Where the Majority of Fires Start
The garage can hold some pretty flammable material – paint, gasoline, solvents and other hazardous items. For many homes the garage is where the washer and dryer are located as well. Over 93% of home fires started in the garage and accountsfor an average of 30 deaths a year and are the most destructive.

The best type of extinguisher to keep in the garage is again a combination A-B-C class. Get the largest size you can handle easily to help extinguish larger fires or in a bigger space. Remember to store it in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources.

3. You need Clear Escape Routes
You and your family should have an escape route plan in place for any time there’s a fire.  It’s best to have several alternate routes in case of fire obstruction.

Next, you should have one extinguisher on each floor of your home to help clear your escape path. Remember to keep the extinguisher free of clutter, you don’t want to be moving stuff in order to reach it. Don’t try and fight large spreading fires – a good rule of thumb is if the fire is taller than you, it’s best to get out another way.

4. Sources of Heat are High Risk Areas
What do I mean by “sources of heat”? Here’s a few:
⦁ Fireplace
⦁ Wood or Pellet stove
⦁ Laundry room (dryer)
⦁ Electrical Panels
⦁ Furnace
The combination of electrical parts and heat is a sure opportunity of a fire happening. Again, do not store them right next to the heat source, at least 30 feet away is a good gauge for safety.

Conclusion
Everyone should learn how to use a fire extinguisher properly and efficiently, otherwise you defeat the purpose of owning one.

Remember though, these fire extinguishers work best on contained fires – a cooking pot, a wastebasket, an appliance, and such. Fires spread quickly, so if a fire is spreading quickly in your home, it’s best to get out quickly and wait for the fire department.

For more information on fire extinguishers or fire safety contact us – All Florida Fire Equipment.

About the Author:
Tracy Stine is a freelance writer, an online sign language tutor, and a disability advocate.

For more information on fire extinguishers or fire safety contact – All Florida Fire Equipment.

HOW TO CREATE AN EMERGENCY KIT FOR YOUR HOME (GUEST POST)

Sent to us by Jeralyn Nelson, of http://www.HouseSittingJobs.com

You never know when an emergency will happen, which is why you should always be ready for one if the situation does arise. To make sure you’re prepared for whatever may come, take the time to create an emergency kit for your home and make sure every member of your family and your nanny know where it is and what’s inside.  Also make sure everyone knows and understands the emergency procedures for a disaster. This kind of preparation can save you seconds or minutes in a life-threatening situation.

Stock up on supplies for a power outage. Short power outages are inconvenient, but long outages can be a danger to your family’s health and safety. Make sure you have self-powered flashlights and lanterns, an emergency radio, and plenty of batteries for book lights, portable DVD players, and handheld games.  Stock up on non-perishable food like canned meats, tuna, soups, fruits, and vegetables, plus boxed food like crackers, goldfish, and other kid-friendly snacks. Include pet foods and snacks, as well.  Make sure you have a hand-held can opener on hand too. Have plenty of water available for each person in your family. If you have a wood-burning fireplace or stove, stock enough wood to keep a fire going for a few days. In winter, this may be your only way to keep the chill away. 

Learn about your local emergency warning systems. Your local emergency management office, civil defense office, or Red Cross chapter can give you detailed information about your area’s early warning systems. Know where to get up-to-date information about natural disasters like tornados, hurricanes, and flooding. To make sure you don’t miss a critical announcement, purchase a self-powered weather alert radio (NOAA) that can be set to your location and warn you of a weather emergency. 

Create a fire escape plan. This can be a family project. Using graph paper create a map of each floor of your home, including all possible emergency exits, like windows and doors. Map out one, and two if possible, escape routes from each room. If you have a second story, include routes that use lower story roofs and home emergency window ladders. Choose a place far from the house to meet as a family once each person escapes the house. Make sure there’s a clear landmark like a street sign or large tree to avoid frightened or panicked family members becoming disorientated. Decide in advance who will help younger children out of the house. Practice getting out of the house and meeting at the family meeting spot with your children at least twice a year. This can be a fun family activity. Have everyone start in bed blindfolded to simulate a smoky, nighttime fire. Practice staying low to the ground or crawling, covering your mouth with a cloth, and checking doors to see if they’re cool to the touch and safe to open. Once you get outside, remove the blindfold and head to the meeting spot. Time the escape from start to finish to ensure your family can make it out in a reasonable amount of time.  (It has been said by several firefighters that persons become very disoriented because of smoke, thinking that they know every corner of their home.)

Choose an emergency meeting place in case of evacuation. Chances are your family members will be in separate locations when disaster hits. If your neighborhood is unsafe or has been evacuated, choose a place to meet. It should be accessible by every member of the family, in a safe area (e.g. out of the flood zone), and not in an area that gets congested during an evacuation. Each family member or caregiver should have a map with the designated location and alternative routes to get there clearly marked.

Know who to contact in case of an emergency. Often during an emergency, local phone lines are down and cell towers are overloaded, making it impossible to connect with family members or caregivers who are not with you. Designate a first and second contact person, that way if a family member isn’t able to make it to the meeting point they can get a message to the rest of the family through the contact person. Choose people far outside the local area who would likely be unaffected by the disaster.

Don’t forget your pets. Include your dog or cat in your emergency plan. Designate one person to be in charge of crating and carrying the animals in an emergency evacuation, and if your pet sleeps in a crate, releasing him in case of fire. 

Fires, natural disasters, and other emergencies can be scary, especially for children.  Also, keeping prescription medicines in one place,( in clear plastic bags), would make it easier to grab them when you must hurry.  Developing a smart plan of action, practicing the plan, knowing who is responsible for doing what, and having the right supplies on hand can not only give you peace of mind, it can also be the difference between handling an emergency and  experiencing family tragedy.

FALL MAINTENANCE TIPS FOR YOUR HOME

It’s a good idea to get in the habit of regular maintenance of your home each season of the year.  By checking things out ahead of time, you could save money by avoiding costly repairs.  Our houses don’t take care of themselves; it’s up to us to do it.  Some locations need more preventative measures than others; those who live in colder climates may be required to think of some things that we in warmer regions don’t have to do.  Regardless of where we live, it’s important to do these things to ensure the safety of our families.  Here are some ideas:

  • Check all window and door locks for proper operation; all exterior doors should have deadbolt locks.
  • Make sure there are working nightlights at the top and bottom of all stairs; don’t leave items on the stairs.
  • Have a professional check your heating system every year.
  • Check your home for water leaks.
  • Make sure that the caulking around your bathroom fixtures is adequate to prevent water from seeping into the sub-flooring.
  • Wrap pipes for insulation from freezing.
  • Replace your furnace filter once yearly.
  • Run all gas-powered lawn equipment until the fuel is gone.
  • Put away garden hose and other yard equipment.
  • Test your emergency generator.
  • Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean the flues and check your fireplace damper.
  • Remove bird nests from chimney flues and outdoor electrical fixtures.
  • Inspect and clean dust from the covers of your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and check batteries.
  • Have a fire escape plan for your family.
  • Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.
  • Consider hiring a professional to do any inspections, etc. on your roof
  • Make sure the caulking around doors and windows is adequate to reduce heat/cooling loss.
  • Winterize boats and recreational vehicles before storing them.

You may want to make a checklist to use each season, and add to it as you think of something we may have missed.  Have your home ready for a warm, cozy fall and winter. 

 

Source: State Farm Insurance