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Would you know what to do if a fire started in your home? Would your child know what to do?

The number of residential fires always goes up during colder months, peaking between December and February.  Take the time now to review fire safety facts and tips so your family will be prepared in the event of a fire emergency in your home.  Of course, the best way to practice fire safety is to make sure a fire doesn’t break out in the first place. That means you should always be aware of potential hazards in your home. Start by keeping these tips in mind. 

Does your home contain GFCIs (ground-fault circuit interrupters) and/or AFCIs (arc-fault circuit interrupters), which prevent electrical shock and fire by shutting off faulty circuits? Look around your house for potential problems. And unless you’re a trained electrician, be careful about do-it-yourself electrical projects. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States.  Always supervise your child while cooking, and make sure to practice safe cooking habits — like turning all pot handles in so they can’t be accidentally knocked over and not wearing loose-fitting clothing that could catch fire around the stove.  Always keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach. Store flammable materials such as gasoline, kerosene, and flammable cleaning supplies outside of your home and away from children.  Use candles safely, especially decorative candles.  If you light candles, keep them out of reach of kids and pets, away from curtains and furniture, and extinguish them before you go to bed.  Don’t let older kids and teens use candles unsupervised in their rooms.

If you’re having a new home built or remodeling an older home, you may also want to consider adding a home sprinkler system.  Keep a fire extinguishers handy.  Fire extinguishers are best used when a fire is contained in a small area, like a wastebasket, and when the fire department has already been called.  Keep them out of reach of children.  If you’re ever in doubt about whether to use an extinguisher on a fire, don’t try it. Instead, leave the house immediately and call the fire department.

Plan an escape route.  Planned escape routes are a necessity, especially if a fire were to occur during the night. Go through each room in your house and think about the possible exits. You should have in your mind two escape routes from each room, in case one is blocked by fire. Inspect the room to make sure that furniture and other objects are not blocking doorways or windows. Make sure that the windows in every room are easy to open and are not painted over or nailed shut — remember, these may be your only way out in a fire. If you live in an apartment building, make sure any safety bars on windows are removable in an emergency. You should have one escape ladder made of fire-safe material (aluminum, not rope) in each upper-story bedroom that is occupied by a person who is capable of using it. Like fire extinguishers, escape ladders should be operated by adults only. The ladder must be approved by an independent testing laboratory; it’s length must be appropriate for your home, and it must support the weight of the heaviest adult in the house.  Be sure to know the locations of the closest stairwells or fire escapes and where they lead.  Many children try to hide from fires.  Children typically hide in a closet, under a bed, or in a corner.  Teach your child that fires spread quickly, that most fire-related deaths are not from burns but from smoke inhalation, and that dangerous fumes can overcome a person in just a few minutes.

Test your plan on a regular basis.  Make sure everyone can evacuate your home and gather outside within 3 minutes — the time it can take for an entire house to go up in flames.  Being prepared is the best way to protect your family from a fire. Know the rules of fire prevention, stock your home with fire-safety items, and make sure your kids know what to do in a fire. A few minutes of planning now may save lives later on.

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