Fire Safety Learned The Hard Way

When we woke up to the sound of sirens and the site of flashing lights we were startled to say the least. Our neighbor’s home had caught fire. We instantly worried about their safety and of the safety of those fighting to save their home and possessions. We quickly realized that our neighbors were going to be fine however their home was a completely different story.

The damage was quite obvious the smoke, soot, fire and water ravaged the home. The home was damaged internally as well externally. The fire fighters did a terrific job at maintaining the fire to one end of the home. Although this still did not prevent the smoke, soot and water damage from happening throughout the home. The actual fire damage was minimized because they were able to cut the fire off at the pass and stop it from spreading further into the home. With the damage done and the cleanup effort on it leaves other homeowners to think about the prevention of fires within the home.

In speaking with the fire department they offered several tips in fire prevention. One tip being to add fire extinguishers to the kitchen and central locations throughout a home. Although it is not recommended that homeowners try to battle large blazes on their own small fires that are reacted to quickly can be taken care of to prevent major loss.

Appliances throughout the home also carry the risk of fraying cords. Check cords to larger appliances often. If you have small animals it is recommended that they are regularly checked for damage caused from small animals gnawing on them. The smallest fray or broken wire can create an arc spark. Given the correct environment that small spark can create a potentially large disaster.

During the winter holiday keep Christmas trees well watered. Another thing to watch out for is wear in the Christmas lights. Lights are not in good working order and create a spark on a dry tree the results can be deadly. Holidays and special events lead to the lighting of candles throughout the home. Candles are a large source of fires starting within the home. When having candles lit throughout the home make sure that they are extinguished before leaving the home, exiting a room or falling to sleep. A lit candle can be disastrous.

Another great tip to preventing fires is smoke detectors. Smoke detectors can sense the smoke before a fire starts. The fire department will have a better chance at finding and putting gout the source of the fire before the blaze encompasses the entire home. The thing about smoke detectors is that they only work for you if they are working. Make sure to check the batteries on smoke detectors every six months to keep them in working order. Have smoke alarms scattered throughout the home. One should be placed in each room and in centrally located positions in the hallways and entrance areas. Don’t forget the laundry room and basement areas too.