October 8th through 14th is Fire Prevention Week. Do you have two ways out?
From October 8th through the 14th, it is Fire Prevention Week. How current is your safety plan? Whether it is for your home or your business, you should always have a safety and evacuation plan in case it ever becomes necessary. Let’s look at how to design the program and keep your family and employees safe.
Creating Your Plan
Consider the Time: As important as fire prevention is, sometimes escape is your only option. Think about how long it would take to escape the building if a fire does break out. In this hypothetical scenario, however, everybody only has two minutes to get out safely. It’s impossible to think of a proper plan inside those two minutes, so having a plan in place is a much better idea.
Create a Map: Next, draw up a map. The map can either be of your home or your business. This map should indicate where all entry and exit points, such as windows and doors, are located. Make sure every room has two ways in or out.
Designate a Meetup Point: Point out a tree, streetlamp, or sign to gather around. The landmark you select should be a permanent one, so everyone will know what spot to find. If everyone makes it there, it’s much easier to count who made it there safely.
Plan Ahead: Is there anyone in your family who might need assistance for getting out safely? Very young children, elderly parents, and someone with limited mobility? Plan for how to help them.
Practice: As always, practice makes perfect. Practice during the day, and at night, too.
What Else You Can Do
Make sure your smoke alarms work! Regularly test your alarms, and if they need fresh batteries, be sure to install them. A good way to remember when you should switch batteries out is when Daylight Savings Time becomes a concern – spring forward and fall back. You’ll know when your smoke alarm batteries are getting low because they’ll emit that irritating chirping or beeping noise that wakes you up at night.
You should also remember to change your smoke alarm. If it is ten years or older, then you should invest in a new smoke alarm. Whatever safety plan you have, it can’t work if you don’t know that there is smoke, and where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
Commercial and Residential Fire Prevention from Judd Fire Protection
If you want to ensure your home and business are safe throughout the year, trust Judd Fire Protection, LLC. We have over two decades of experience with design, installation, service, and inspection of residential and commercial fire protection systems. We service clients throughout the Maryland, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia. If you are interested in finding out more about our services and protecting your home and business, give us a call at 410-871-3480 or contact us online. For more fire safety tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.