Top Fire Safety Tips For the Holidays
There are many ways to prevent fires in your home throughout the upcoming holiday season. Here are some of the top tips to keep you and your family safe throughout the end of the year.
1. Working Smoke Alarms Save Lives
When it comes to working smoke alarms, your risk of dying in your home from a house fire is reduced by 50%. You should install smoke alarms in every bedroom as well as outside each separate sleeping area. Make sure you have alarms installed on each floor of your home, including the basement. The best method is to use smoke alarms that can communicate with each other so that when one alarm goes off, they all go off. You should also test all smoke alarms at least once a month. What's the point of having them if they don't work.
2. Make an Escape Plan
Fire moves fast throughout a home and spreads rapidly from room to room and between floors, leaving you as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once the smoke alarm sounds. Inspect your house, noting every possible exit and escape route. Keep a drawn floor plan of your home, noting two exits out of each room, including windows and doors. As you assess your plan, be sure to keep escape routes such as doors and windows clear of debris or large objects and be sure they can all be opened easily. Choose a designated location outside of your home that is a safe distance from the building out front where everyone can meet after they have escaped. Once you've left the building, do not go back in! Stay out! Never re-enter a burning building under any circumstances. If you notice someone is unaccounted for, notify the 911 dispatcher during your call. Firefighters are trained and equipped to handle rescues. Since thick smoke can obscure your vision, it's beneficial to practice exiting your home while assisting each other to safety. Conducting regular fire drills can enable you to evacuate more swiftly, effectively, and naturally when necessary.
3. Stay Safe in the Kitchen
Cooking is the primary cause of reported home fires. Remain in the kitchen while cooking. Ensure items that can ignite—like oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, and towels—are kept away from the stovetop. If a fire occurs in the oven, switch it off and keep the door shut. Have a lid on hand to cover small grease fires; slide it over the pan and turn off the burner. If a cooking fire breaks out, evacuate everyone from the house and call for assistance from outside. Keep a fire blanket and extinguisher close by any cooking areas. Learn more about kitchen fire safety here.
4. Blow Out Candles
Over a third of candle fires begin in a bedroom. Extinguish candles before leaving the room or going to sleep. Ensure candles are placed at least a foot away from flammable items. Never leave a child unattended in a room with a lit candle. Store matches and lighters where children cannot access them. In power outages, opt for flashlights instead of candles for illumination.
5. Don't Overuse Extension Cords/Power Strips
It's easy to plug in one too many lights as you start decorating for the holidays. We've also seen multiple crockpots plugged into one power strip during pot lucks, and family gatherings. Test your GFI outlets and don't overload your breakers or power strips. You can also check out our article on Power Strip Fire Prevention.
6. Fireplace Safety
The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that 75% of confined home heating fires occur in the chimney and flue of your fireplace. Nevertheless, performing simple safety practices and maintenance on your fireplace can help keep your fireplace in good condition, ensuring your family and home stay safe. Here are some top fireplace safety tips to consider.
As Benjamin Franklin put it, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Take time and stay vigilant this holiday season to keep your home and loved ones safe from accidental fires. Reach out to us if you have questions about your coverage, especially if you're not sure if your home and belongings are truly covered in the case of a fire.
