It’s better to be safe than sorry, and when it comes to home fires, prevention is much better than a cure.
Protect yourself from fires and be safe by observing these simple fire safety tips.
Different situations call for different measures. If you live in a high rise building, a condo or a 2 story house, you need to be extra careful.
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Buy a fire safety ladder
If your home has a second floor (or higher) get a ladder. In case a fire breaks out in the home, you need the fastest and most secure way of getting out of the building, and the fire safety ladder may be your best bet. It should, ideally be long enough to reach from the window to the ground.
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Practice with the ladder
Having the ladder in the house is not enough, people in the house should know how to use it. Follow the instructions on the ladder and practice. Use caution with all people. Do not have someone use the ladder if they are not capable of course. Practice at least twice in a year.
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Designate a meeting place
Teach all the family members how to be responsible for each other during emergencies. Designate a specific meeting place and teach the family how to do a head count. Include this in your fire practice drills.
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Install smoke alarms on every crucial part of your home
Smoke alarms serve a huge purpose when it comes to fire safety. Some of the fires can be quickly put off after the smoke alarm goes off. Install smoke alarms inside bedrooms, outside sleeping areas, in the kitchen, living room and everywhere else there might be risks of a fire. Also, make sure you test the fire alarms every month and change the batteries if they are not working.
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Store flammables away safely
Store flammables in clearly marked containers with childproof safety cap. If any flammable liquid spills clean it up immediately and soak the cloth you use to wipe it in water. Teach your children to stay away from flammable liquids.
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Fireplace and heater safety
Before you light the heater, make sure it’s at least 90cm away from the wall or any other blockage. Make sure the heater was installed and is regularly maintained by a professional. Make sure your fireplace has a screen to catch stray sparks.
Older adults/seniors are at a higher risk when it comes to fires, and extra caution must be taken to keep them safe.
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Keep it low
The elderly should avoid sleeping above and should make the ground floor their home if possible.
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Sound alarm
Fatal fires occur mostly when people are asleep. Make sure there is a sound alarm loud enough to wake up the elderly and teach them how it sounds so they can distinguish it from other sounds.
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Do the drill
Sound the alarm and conduct your own drills to teach the elderly what to do in case of a fire. If there is an older adult in your home who can’t escape on their own, assign a person to assist them in the event of a fire. Do the drills at least 3 times in a year.
