Understand the Most Common Causes of House Fires
First of all, be sure your children are aware of what causes a house fire. The National Fire Protection Agency reports that cooking equipment, heating equipment and electrical or lighting equipment are the leading causes of house structure fires and civilian deaths. Be sure your children know the dangers of playing with electrical outlets, hot surfaces, cooking materials, matches and other open flames. Also, ensure your home has several working smoke alarms and test these alarms monthly.
Develop a Fire Plan
It’s also important that your family develops a “fire plan” to keep everyone safe in the event of a fire. Consider using these five steps:
- If alarms sound, evacuate the house immediately. Be sure to feel the doors for heat before opening to ensure there is no danger on the opposite side.
- If there is excessive smoke, stay low to the ground to reduce smoke exposure and keep a hand on the wall at all times to avoid being disoriented.
- Once outside the house, go to an area that your family designated as the “safe zone” and DO NOT GO BACK IN THE HOUSE.
- Call emergency responders immediately and wait in safety for their arrival. If there is a family member missing, be sure to notify the responders as soon as possible.
- Do not return to or near the house until instructed to do so by safety personnel. Even if there is no visual danger, the structure may be unstable and incredibly dangerous.
Hire an Expert to Evaluate Your Home
At Disaster Doctors, we understand the importance of keeping your family and your home safe from a fire. While keeping your smoke alarms in working order is important, it’s also wise to have your house professionally evaluated for fire preparedness. The experts at Disaster Doctors are trained to evaluate homes top-to-bottom with an eye for safety. Call us today to schedule an on-site evaluation for your home.
photo credit: House Fire 94th St “BOX 3” Ocean City, MD via photopin (license)
