Tips for fire prevention month

Are you going to burn your house down this fall?

October is Fire Prevention Month, and there are many things you can do from within your own home to ensure your own safety and prevent that from happening.

Each home is different from the next, therefore fire evacuation plans and where you place your fire extinguisher and smoke alarms will vary from home to home.

Having a comprehensive safety guide will not only save your home from fire damage, but it can also save your life.

Having smoke alarms on every level of your house is extremely important.

They should be cleaned of pet dander and dust and should be placed out feet from any cooking area.

Along with fire alarms, you should always keep a carbon monoxide detector within your house. Though they don’t detect fire, carbon monoxide is a silent killer. There is no smell to carbon monoxide, making it nearly impossible to know if you don’t have a detector. They should be placed in every bedroom.

Also, having a fire extinguisher in your home may be your best defense in a fire inside the home. This should be placed near a cooking area and inside a garage with motorized vehicles.

The P.A.S.S. technique is the best way to handle a fire extinguisher.

This stands for Pull, Aim, Squeeze and Sweep (the area).

Lastly, consider installing a fire escape ladder. Though they aren’t required by law, they can be extremely useful during a fire emergency. They should be placed near a window on a second or third story home.

According to the NFPA*, in 2016 there were 352,000 home fires, and 3 out of 5 fire deaths occurred in homes without a smoke alarm.

You can find more tips on how you can stay safe within your home HERE.