It’s national Fire Prevention Week 2009 from October 4-10, a time to pay special attention to risks around our homes. According to the National Fire Protection Association, last year, fires caused more than $15.5 billion in directly property loss, with $8.6 billion of that being residential.
Many of those fires started in the bedroom, a place that’s designed for comfort and relaxation, but is no safe haven when it comes to home fires: Nearly 6,000 people die annually from bedroom fires, says the United States Fire Administration.
Sleep tight with these safety tips for the bedroom:
- Replace mattresses made before 2007 that don’t meet the new flammability standard.
- Never smoke in bed.
- Make sure that electric blankets, bed warmers, and space heaters are lab tested and do not have frayed electric cords.
- Operate space heaters at least three feet away from flammable objects, like curtains, clothes, bedspreads, sheets, and blankets.
- Keep matches, lighters and candles out of the reach of children. When children play with these items, they often do so in their bedrooms. This is especially critical during the holiday season when the number of house fires by children increases to a peak of 60 fires per day during mid-December.
- Routinely check under beds, in closets, and furniture in children’s rooms for lighters, burnt matches, or other signs that they might be playing with fire.
Posted in: Home Security
Got some tasty treats cooking up in the kitchen? Keep it safe with these fire prevention tips. Your safety and home alarm system needs aren’t limited to anti-theft protection. Statistics show that the No. 1 “home intruder” is fire. In fact, cooking is the number-one cause of all home fires: almost 40% start there and most start during the dinner hours, according to the National Fire Protection Association. The sooner a fire is detected and emergency responders are notified, the greater the chance that your loved ones and possessions will be safe
• Think prevention when you’re cooking. Have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen and have monitored smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. According to the U.S. Home Safety Council, 97% of U.S. homes have at least one basic smoke detector – but an off-the-shelf smoke alarm may not be enough to protect your family and property. Monitored smoke detection and fire alarm systems work even when your alarm system isn’t armed – and early detection of smoke or fire is the key to faster response.
• Never leave the kitchen while cooking and avoid cooking when you’re tired.
• Avoid wearing loose clothing around burners or gas flames.
• Move flammables away from stove-tops—paper and plastic catch on fire easily.
• Smother grease fires with a lid, metal tray, or cookie sheet. Don’t spray with an extinguisher. You could spread the fire to the walls.
• Unplug small appliances when you aren’t using them.
Posted in: Home Security
