By Carol Church, Writer, Family Album
Reviewed by Gayle Whitworth, Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent, University of Florida Extension, Brevard County
This post is in honor of Fire Prevention Week.
Every year, we hear of local families who lose everything, sometimes including their lives, in tragic house and apartment fires. It’s scary to think of a fire in our own homes; most of us would probably rather not imagine the possibility. But with a little forethought and attention to planning, you can reduce the chances that this type of disaster will devastate your family.
Smoke Alarms: Your First Defense
According to the National Fire Protection Association, three out of five home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms (or none that worked). Fumes and smoke inhalation kill more people than do flames, and may enter rooms silently while you sleep. Your first safety step should always be to install working alarms on every level of the house and outside of each sleeping area. When choosing an alarm, make sure that it has the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) label, indicating that it meets all applicable codes. Test it monthly, and replace the batteries at least once a year. You should also vacuum your smoke detector once a year to remove dust and grime. Alarms themselves should be replaced every ten years.
Have A Fire Safety Plan
Next, develop a fire safety plan: identify all escape routes and designate a meeting place outside the home where family members can gather in an emergency. Find more than one way to exit each room and the house, and show children how to crawl and “get low” to avoid dangerous smoke. Assign an adult to be responsible for any children who cannot get out on their own. Review and practice this plan with your family at least twice a year, including at night. Here’s a short video from the US Fire Administration that reviews the basics of a home fire escape plan:
Take Care with Cooking and Heating
To further reduce your risk, it’s a good idea to be aware of the top two causes of home fires: cooking and heating. Unattended cooking—that is, walking away from food on the stove or in the oven—is the #1 contributing factor to kitchen fires, with food on the range being most often to blame. In the case of home heating fires, woodstoves, fireplaces, and chimneys are the most frequent culprits. Have your woodstove and chimneys cleaned annually, never leave a fireplace unattended, and follow these fireplace and woodstove safety tips.
Protect the Young and Old
If a fire does occur, young children and seniors are the most vulnerable. Fortunately, even a three-year-old can memorize a simple fire escape plan with enough practice. Make sure your kids know what the smoke alarm sounds like, and teach them never to hide from a firefighter. Alarms are also available that allow a recording of a parents’ voice to be the sound that their child hears in case of fire; this may lead to a quicker response, since some children sleep very deeply and may not respond to a beeping sound. You should also be aware that children sometimes start fires while playing with lighters or matches. Store these items out of reach, and never use them to entertain children.
As for older adults, research shows that they are particularly at risk from smoking-related fires. To protect them, remind smokers to put out cigarettes at the first sign of drowsiness, and to never smoke in bed. Hearing impaired seniors should install a smoke alarm that uses a flashing light.
Reviewing these simple precautions can dramatically reduce your family’s risk and protect its youngest and oldest members. This Fire Prevention Week, take the time to ensure that your family is taking steps to prevent the tragedy of home fires.
Image courtesy of http://www.firepreventionweek.org.
Further Reading:
Fire Safety Tip Sheets–From the National Fire Protection Association
Fire is Everyone’s Fight–Educational materials from the US Fire Administration
References:
National Fire Protection Association. (2014). Smoke alarms. http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/fire-and-safety-equipment/smoke-alarms
UNL Extension. (n.d.) Prepare Fireplaces For Safe Use This Winter And Avoid Firewood Insects in the Home. Retrieved from https://byf.unl.edu/FireplaceSafety
U.S. Fire Administration. (2013a). Fire risk to children in 2010. Retrieved from http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v14i8.pdf
U.S. Fire Administration. (2013b). Fire risk to older adults in 2010. Retrieved from http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v14i9.pdf
U.S. Fire Administration. (2014a). Home fire escape planning. Retrieved from http://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/escape.html
U.S. Fire Administration. (2014b). Smoke alarms. Retrieved from http://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/smoke_alarms.html
(Portions originally published in a different form as: Church, C. (2013). Family fire safety [Radio broadcast episode]. Family Album Radio. Gainesville, FL: University of Florida.)
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