Preperation Key for Home Fire Safety
Each year nearly 4,000 Americans die in house fires and another 20,000 are injured, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Most residential fires occur between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m., with the majority of deaths occurring between midnight and 4 a.m.—when most people are asleep.
Smoke Alarms
Installing smoke alarms on every level of a home helps prevent such tragedies. Smoke alarms should be placed near bedrooms, but not so close to the kitchen that you experience problems from alarms going off when cooking.
It’s a good idea to have a smoke alarm in each bedroom, too, especially if you sleep with the door closed. Smoke alarm batteries should be tested every month and changed with new ones at least once a year. Also, replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years or as the manufacturer recommends.
Escape Plans
Unless a small fire can be easily controlled, leave firefighting to professionals and vacate your residence. A home fire can become deadly in as little as three minutes. Every second counts when escaping from fire.
So develop a fire escape plan and practice it with all members of the family at least twice a year. The first step involves creating a floor plan and marking regular and secondary evacuation routes. The backup route could be out a window that leads onto an adjacent roof or down a collapsible ladder.
Make sure windows can be opened easily, screens removed quickly, and security bars equipped with quick-release devices. Have all members of the family practice opening windows.
In the event of fire, immediately leave your home and do not waste time saving property. If you must escape through smoke, remember to crawl low on the ground and keep your mouth covered.
Fire experts recommend sleeping with doors closed. It takes 10 to 15 minutes to burn through a wooden door, which gives you more time to escape.
When arriving at a closed door during a fire, use the back of your hand to feel the door —especially around cracks and the knob—to see if it is hot. If it feels hot, use another exit. Even if the door feels cool, open it carefully, bracing yourself to close it if necessary to avoid smoke and fire entering.
If you are trapped in a room, keep doors closed between you and the smoke or blaze. Stuff blankets in cracks around the door and cover vents to keep smoke out. If there’s a phone in the room, call 911 to notify the fire department of your exact location. Wait by the window and signal with a sheet or flashlight.
Families should designate a meeting place–such as a specific tree or the end of the driveway–to make sure all members have gotten outside safely. Assign one person to go to a neighbor’s house to phone the fire department. Remember to escape first and then dial 911.
Children as young as 3 can be taught to exit a home safely in the event of fire. Have children practice crawling on the floor and teach them not to hide under beds or in closets when they are scared but to exit as planned. Some children are afraid of firefighters dressed in full gear. Take them on a tour of a local fire station and see firefighters in uniform.
Sources: U.S. Fire Administration