Fire Destruction
According to the National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) 2008 statistics, U.S. fire departments responded to 386,500 home (structure1) fires. Those fires caused 13,160 injuries, 2,755 deaths, and $8.2 billion in damages.That's a lot of homes damaged in one year, with a lot of lost property and many grieving families. There are a number of steps that can be taken to promote fire safety in the home. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Fire Safety in the Home
1. Install smoke alarms in you home as they have been proven to save lives. Smoke alarms should be installed inside each bedroom, as well as in the adjoining hallway. For the best fire safety protection, make sure you have alarms on each floor and have them all interconnected.
2. Purchase at least two all-purpose fire extinguishers for your home, such as an ABC extinguisher. Fire extinguishers should be placed in the kitchen for stove fires, and another in or near the garage, in the event of a car fire. If you own a multi-story house, find a common area to mount an additional extinguisher in close proximity to all bedrooms.
3. Find a qualified contractor to install fire sprinklers in your home in compliance to NFPA codes. According to the NFPA, working fire sprinklers along with smoke alarms, cut the risk of dying in a fire by 82 percent. Have a fire sprinkler contractor do a yearly flow test on your whole sprinkler system.
4. Create a fire escape plan by drawing a floor-by-floor map of fire escape routes. If possible, have two ways out of every room, and determine a meeting place for your family that is a safe distance away from your home. Include safety instructions to crouch or crawl under any smoke encountered, and to check all doors for heat before opening them.
5. Promote fire safety by periodically conducting fire drills with your family. Train them to call the fire department when there is a fire, and on the proper use of the fire extinguisher.
Tags: your home, fire escape, fire safety, fire sprinklers, Safety Home, your family