How To Be Prepared For A Fire In Your Home

When it comes to your home, nothing is more devastating than a fire. You can never be too prepared for an emergency situation and the following ways will help you in the event of a fire in your home.

Have your phone handy

When you go to sleep, ensure that your phone is on a bedside table. If you’re awakened in the middle of the night by an alarm or the smell of smoke, you can easily make a 911 call without having to root around in your purse or pants pocket to locate your phone. Depending on which alarm company is securing your home, they will dispatch the fire department to your home when smoke is detected. However, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Have a family plan

Teach your kids about fire safety at an early age. Warn them about the dangers of playing with matches and lighters, and ensure that they know the stop, drop and roll rule. You will also need a fire escape route that ends in a meeting place outside. Practice your escape route twice a year so that everyone knows where to go in the event of a fire. It’s important that your meeting place is not in your backyard. A good meeting place is a sidewalk in front of your home.

Check your smoke alarms

You should install smoke alarms on every floor of your house. Smoke alarms need to be replaced every 10 years and you should be testing them once per month to ensure that they are working effectively.

Don’t take anything with you

In the event of a fire, do not grab anything as you’re escaping. Your main priority during a fire is getting your family out safely and if you stop to get a piece of valuable jewellery or article of clothing, you risk getting burned. Items can be replaced but your life cannot.

Clear high-risk areas

Also, keep areas near the furnace, outlets and water heaters clear so there’s no chance of anything overheating and catching on fire. Leaving something as small as a rag on top of your furnace can turn into a potentially hazardous situation.

Make sure your security system has fire protection included. Most alarm systems have fire, smoke and carbon monoxide detection included in their security package. If your system does not come equipped with extra security, contact us and we’ll protect your home from burglary, fire and noxious gases.