Every household needs to have a plan to escape the house in the event of a fire, but most homes do not. Take this as an opportunity to develop your own fire escape plan by doing the following things.
Draw up a floor plan of your house the best that you can and mark all of the smoke alarms and each exit. Every member of your household should have at least two ways out of their bedroom, especially if they are on the upper floors. Store escape ladders in as many rooms on the upper floors of your home as you can so that no one is going to get stuck there. Having a fire escape installed onto the upper floor of your house, either in the form of ladders or stairs, can be very helpful and you can connect it to the upstairs hallway. Having it on the back of the house is the best idea, since you do not want it to affect the front of the house, but keeping the style of it consistent with the rest of the home is suggested. Even though the fire escape is a great safety feature and can raise the value of the home, if it clashes with the exterior of the house excessively, it might actually bring the value down.
If you live inside an apartment complex and it catches on fire, never use the elevator as a means of escape, since these can become stuck in the shaft and leave you with no way out. Apartment complexes also usually have fire alarms that you can activate outside of your unit, so you should make sure that you know where these are and how to use them.
All of the members of your household should meet at a certain place outside the residence during a fire, so there is no confusion as to whether anyone is still inside or not.
If you own your home and you have pets, you should make sure that there are ways for them to get out, too. You should not go back inside the house for pets or other belongings. Some pets may be considered members of the family and if you truly love them, have a dog or a cat door installed so they have at least one way to get out without your help.
Miami Water Damage Restoration and Miami,Boca Raton and Ft.Lauderdale water Damage Restoration Which are Certified IICRC Water damage and mold remediation contractors.
Showing posts with label house fire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label house fire. Show all posts
Friday, January 25, 2008
House Fire Preparation
A lot of people think a house fire cannot happen to them, but the fact is that house fires happen a lot more often than most people think, since a large number of fires go unreported. A simple spark is all it takes to set a room or the whole house ablaze and you lose not only everything you own, but also your loved ones.
Have fire extinguishers placed in different areas of the home, especially in the kitchen. My personal advice would be to have at least one on each end of the house and at least two on each floor, depending on the size of your home. Have as many as you feel comfortable with. Having smoke detectors in different areas of the house is also advised and you should have one on each end of the home so all your bases are covered. Make sure that the fire extinguishers that you purchase cover all kinds of fires, including wood, electrical, and chemical types. Everyone in your house should be taught how to use them correctly.
If you have other people living with you in a house, you need to have a plan. If the house catches on fire, every person should have a quick way out. The last thing you want is to be upstairs with no way to get downstairs because the fire is in the way. You need to make sure there is a way out by having some escape ladders on the upper floors on your home. If you can afford to have a fire escape installed without it clashing too much with the style of the home, do so.
Have a pre-determined meeting spot outside the home during the event of a fire. This could be under a certain tree or a certain area of the yard or just anywhere that your family members know how to get to quickly.
Keep anything outside your home that could fuel the fire away from it; this includes fire wood, dry leaves, and other flammable items. If a wood is being sawed in the basement or around the house for any reason, make sure you keep it cleaned up.
A fireproof safe is also one of the most important investments you could ever make. Use this to keep your valuables and important documents in so the fire will not affect them.
You could also benefit by doing a casual safety inspection of your home often. Make sure the lint is cleaned from the dryer, never smoke cigarettes or cigars while in the bed, be careful what you use extension cords for, and etcetera.
Miami Water Damage Restoration and Miami,Boca Raton and Ft.Lauderdale water Damage Restoration
Have fire extinguishers placed in different areas of the home, especially in the kitchen. My personal advice would be to have at least one on each end of the house and at least two on each floor, depending on the size of your home. Have as many as you feel comfortable with. Having smoke detectors in different areas of the house is also advised and you should have one on each end of the home so all your bases are covered. Make sure that the fire extinguishers that you purchase cover all kinds of fires, including wood, electrical, and chemical types. Everyone in your house should be taught how to use them correctly.
If you have other people living with you in a house, you need to have a plan. If the house catches on fire, every person should have a quick way out. The last thing you want is to be upstairs with no way to get downstairs because the fire is in the way. You need to make sure there is a way out by having some escape ladders on the upper floors on your home. If you can afford to have a fire escape installed without it clashing too much with the style of the home, do so.
Have a pre-determined meeting spot outside the home during the event of a fire. This could be under a certain tree or a certain area of the yard or just anywhere that your family members know how to get to quickly.
Keep anything outside your home that could fuel the fire away from it; this includes fire wood, dry leaves, and other flammable items. If a wood is being sawed in the basement or around the house for any reason, make sure you keep it cleaned up.
A fireproof safe is also one of the most important investments you could ever make. Use this to keep your valuables and important documents in so the fire will not affect them.
You could also benefit by doing a casual safety inspection of your home often. Make sure the lint is cleaned from the dryer, never smoke cigarettes or cigars while in the bed, be careful what you use extension cords for, and etcetera.
Miami Water Damage Restoration and Miami,Boca Raton and Ft.Lauderdale water Damage Restoration
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