Not Every Hero Wears a Cape

10/2/2019 (Permalink)

Not Every Hero Wears a Cape

National Fire Prevention Week is October 6-12th, 2019.  Here at SERVPRO of Carleton/Maybee we strive to help our communities be prepared in the event of a fire.  We honor our local Fire Departments and pass out fire prevention materials to local schools and libraries.  Here are some tips for fire escape and planning:

Home Fire Escape Planning and Practice

Home fire escape planning and drills are an essential part of fire safety. A home fire escape plan needs to be developed and practiced before a fire strikes.

• Home fire escape planning should include the following:

• Drawing a map of each level of the home, showing all doors and windows

• Going to each room and pointing to the two ways out

• Making sure someone will help children, older adults, and people with disabilities wake up and get out

• Teaching children how to escape on their own in case you cannot help them

• Establishing a meeting place outside and away from the home where everyone can meet after exiting

• Having properly installed and maintained smoke alarms

• Home fire escape practice should include the following:

• Pushing the smoke alarm button to start the drill

• Practicing what to do in case there is smoke: Get low and go. Get out fast.

• Practicing using different ways out and closing doors behind you as you leave

• Never going back for people, pets, or things

• Going to your outdoor meeting place

• Calling 9-1-1 or the local emergency number from a cell phone or a neighbor’s phone Smoke Alarms

• Smoke alarms detect and alert people to a fire in the early stages. Smoke alarms can mean the difference between life and death in a fire.

• Working smoke alarms cut the risk of dying in a home fire in half.

• Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of the home, including the basement.

• Test smoke alarms at least once a month using the test button.

• Make sure everyone in the home understands the sound of the smoke alarm and knows how to respond. Cooking

• Cooking is the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Thanksgiving is the leading day for fires involving cooking equipment.

• The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking.

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food.

• If you are simmering, baking, or roasting food, check it regularly and stay in the home.

• Keep anything that can catch fire away from your stovetop. Heating

• Heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fires during the winter months.

• Space heaters are the type of equipment most often involved in home heating equipment fires.

• All heaters need space. Keep anything that can burn at least 3 feet (1 meter) away from heating equipment.

• Have a 3-foot (1-meter) “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.

• Purchase and use only portable space heaters listed by a qualified testing laboratory.

• Have a qualified professional install heating equipment.

• Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected by a qualified professional at least once a year.