For this year’s Fire Prevention Week, follow these tips to keep your family safe, and then keep them safe all through the year.
While your kids practice fire drills at school, do you ever think about planning one while at home? Fires can start anywhere at any time, whether or not the house is occupied or everyone is asleep. For this year’s Fire Prevention Week, follow these tips to keep your family safe, and then keep them safe all through the year.
Inspect Smoke Detectors
First of all, before Fire Prevention Week is over, inspect your smoke detectors and make sure they work. Replace old batteries with new ones, and test the detector so that it makes that telltale beep you should be able to hear anywhere in your home. If your smoke detectors are more than ten years old, then it’s time to get new ones. Make sure there is one in each bedroom, in all of the hallways, outside of each bedroom, and on all levels, no matter how many stories your house has.
You should also make sure to have photoelectric and ionization based smoke detectors in your home. This way, whether the fire is a slow burn or a quick burn, your home and family will be protected. Your kids will also tend to sleep through any alarms triggered by smoke detectors. Create a recording of your voice telling them to wake up combined with the beeping sound.
Make Your Escape Fun
Your escape plan is critical for ensuring everyone gets out safely. Still, that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun. Make it into a game. Practice it as often as you can, turning it into a time trial. This will remind them of video games that they like to play and motivate them to get a better time. Set a monthly reminder using your phone or other smart devices that it’s time to practice the next round of the escape plan.
Other Tips
When cooking, don’t leave the stove or oven unattended. That’s because kitchen fires are much more common than you think. Make sure you keep a fire extinguisher on hand, either in the kitchen itself or easy reach just outside of it.
Make sure your chimneys are kept clean, and if you use space heaters to keep warm, keep them away from anything flammable. Make sure the outlets, sockets, cords, and wires associated with electrical devices aren’t frayed, torn, or otherwise damaged. You don’t want to overload the circuits, and more importantly, you don’t want to overload any extension cords you have running through your home, either.
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 in designing, installing, inspecting, and repairing residential and commercial fire protection systems. We serve clients throughout 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.