Fire Prevention and Safety

9/2/2022 (Permalink)

Fire Prevention Week is October 9 - 15, and will be celebrating it’s 100^th anniversary this year with a campaign theme of “Fire won't wait. Plan your escape™” (https://www.nfpa.org/fpw).  During this annual event, the National Fire Protection Association provides resources and materials to educate the public about important actions that can be taken to prevent home fires and to keep their families safe from fires should they occur.

The NFPA estimates that a family may have as little as two minutes to safely escape a home fire after the smoke alarm goes off (https://www.nfpa.org/Events/Events/Fire-Prevention-Week/About).  This makes it crucial for every household to establish a home fire escape plan, as well as a family home safety action plan that focuses on preventing fires from occurring in the first place, and detecting and reacting to them quickly if they do.  The NFPA offers the following guidelines for fire safety:

Smoke alarms should be placed in every bedroom and hallway on each level of the home at a minimum.  The only rooms smoke alarms are not recommended is in kitchens and bathrooms.  They should be tested regularly by pushing the test button, as often as on a monthly basis.  In between tests, if a detector begins chirping the batteries should be replaced immediately.  For any smoke detectors that are over 10 years old, the whole unit should be replaced.

Home fire escape plans should be made to make sure that everybody knows what to do to get out safely if the smoke alarm goes off, or if someone smells smoke or sees flames.  These plans should include a map of the home marking two ways out of each room (including windows and doors), escape routes, and an outside meeting place.  Arrangements should also be made to assist young children, older adults, and people with disabilities to evacuate should a fire occur.  Home fire drills should be practiced at least twice a year.

Some additional fire safety tips offered by the National Safety Council are as follows: (https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/emergency-preparedness/fire-safety)

• When cooking, stay in the kitchen. Keep anything that could catch on fire away from the stovetop.  If baking, use a timer and check the food regularly.
• Do not leave space heaters or fireplaces unattended. Turn off heaters and make sure fireplace embers are extinguished before leaving the room. Keep all flammable items at least 3 feet away and keep children and pets away as well.  Look for space heater models that shut off automatically when tipped over.
• When using a fire extinguisher, remember the acronym PASS: Pull the pin, Aim low at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle slowly, and Sweep the nozzle side to side.  Home fire extinguishers should only be used on small fires.  If the fire has spread or there is a lot of smoke, you should call the fire department and evacuate as soon as possible.

If your family does suffer the unfortunate event of a home fire loss, SERVPRO of Carleton/Maybee is here to help.  We have specialized fire restoration training to remove any water from firefighting efforts, dry remaining moisture with air movers and dehumidifiers, remove smoke and soot from walls and ceilings, and clean and sanitize all restorable items that were damaged by the fire.  We will work with your insurance company to coordinate this process and direct you to reconstruction services for any repairs that may be needed.  Call us in the event of a fire emergency at (734) 299-7006.