Fire Safety Steps You Should Take as a Homeowner

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Fire Safety Steps You Should Take as a Homeowner

An unfortunate reality that anyone can face is a catastrophic house fire. And while sometimes these things just happen, you can prevent them or reduce their severity a lot of the time. As a homeowner, consider following these actionable fire safety steps to protect your home and family.

Think About the Home’s Layout

Consider the home’s layout and whether it accommodates things like fire and rescue, escape plans, and blocking fumes. Something as simple as broadening the driveway can create a more accessible path for a rescue crew. If you’re in the building phase, consider bringing up these things to the builder to ensure your home incorporates fire safety features.

A few other things to consider include fire retardant foliage or specific fencing materials around the property. If you live in a location prone to wildfires, consider some of these action items a priority to ensure you’re ready.

Properly Install Fire Extinguishers

On the interior of the home, you want to ensure there are properly installed fire extinguishers in the correct locations. Small fires can happen around kitchens, workshop areas, garages, or fire pits. These are also the most common locations for fire extinguisher installation. What you don’t want to have happen is a small home fire increasing into a large, potentially catastrophic one.

Get Smoke Detectors

Ensure you fully equip your home with the necessary amount of smoke detectors. You might get the urge to unplug them or disconnect their batteries. However, try to refrain from doing this to avoid a fire from happening unbeknownst to you.

The one time you unplug the detector may be the time it’s necessary to save your entire home. You also want to ensure your smoke detectors receive periodic maintenance or replacement when necessary.

Teach Children About Fire Safety

If you have children in your home at any time, whether they’re yours or not, you need to ensure they know basic fire safety. This can save their lives and help contribute to the family’s ability to execute an escape plan.

Teaching children about fire safety includes clarifying the dangers of fires, the consequences of playing with fire, and the dangers of lighters and matches. You should also show them how to respond if they find fire on their clothes. Moreover, you could consider ensuring they know what first responders do, including firefighters and rescue personnel.

Ensure Your Family Has an Escape Plan

Once you feel the children understand basic fire safety, you can cover an escape plan with them. The primary goal of following fire safety steps as a homeowner is to never need to use an escape plan, but having one in place is still vital. Make sure everyone knows the fastest, safest way to exit the home. And include a communication plan to coincide with everyone’s exit strategy. It’s essential to consider that not everyone will leave from the same contact point.

Many little details will go into a home’s fire safety and prevention plan. But it’s important to remember the purpose behind each detail. As a homeowner, you must protect your family before you begin protecting your assets.

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