Everyone wants to make sure their family and friends are safe. Putting fire safety first in your home is one way to keep your family safe. Teach your family how to avoid fires and what to do if one does happen. This will make sure your family is ready. Here are some tips for home fire safety:
Be Smart When Cooking
- Most house fires start in the kitchen or while cooking. Make sure you and your family use common sense and stay safe in the kitchen. Don’t walk away from your food while it’s cooking. Stay away from the stovetop with anything that could catch fire. Stay awake when you’re cooking, and don’t cook if you’re drunk or tired.
Home Escape Planning
- Make an escape plan for your home in case of a fire. Make sure that every room has two ways out. Walk through each room and find two ways out. Then, draw a map of your home that shows the exits and the place where everyone will meet. Pick a spot in front of your house to meet. Make sure that everyone in your house knows how to get out of the house.
Install Smoke Detectors
- If your home doesn’t already have them, you should put in smoke detectors. Every bedroom and every floor should have a smoke detector. More smoke alarms will be needed in bigger homes. After 10 years, all smoke alarms should be changed.
Test Smoke Detectors
- You should test the smoke alarms in your home once a month. Check to see that they all work. Change the batteries if you need to. Three out of every five fire deaths in homes happen when there are no smoke alarms or they don’t work.
Electrical Safety
- Electrical fires can be stopped by making sure people know how to use electrical equipment safely. Make sure that a trained electrician does all of the electrical work in your home. Use only one heat-making appliance per plug. Don’t use extension cords or plug strips for big appliances like refrigerators, dryers, stoves, and microwaves.
Don’t Smoke Inside
- If you or someone else in your house smokes, you shouldn’t smoke inside. Smoking can cause fires. Make sure that cigarettes are put out and thrown away the right way. Don’t put a cigarette in mulch, grass, or other things that can easily catch fire.
Consider Installing Home Fire Sprinklers
- Homes are where more than 80% of fire deaths happen. Put in a home fire sprinkler system to protect your home and your family. Fire sprinklers are one of the best ways to keep your family safe in case of a fire.