Fire Prevention and Safety Precautions

Houses have more than 30,000 fires each year. The key to ensuring that you are able to get out safely and quickly is having an active smoke alarm that works properly. There are a few things that you should remember to do in order to keep your home safe and prevent fires. Most of the fires that happen could have been prevented if people had taken proper measures.

Many of the fires that happen in America happen because of kitchen related incidences. There are many that are started by oil because it is so highly flammable. Sometimes when you cook the alarm may be set off unintentionally. You should never disable your alarms to prevent this because you may forget to turn them back on. The best thing you can do is to set the alarm a bit further away from the kitchen. This will help to ensure that it is still working when it needs to in the case of a real fire.

Preventing cooking fires in your home:

• Never leave your cooking unattended.
• Set timers so that you do not leave things in the oven for too long
• Make sure that the kids are not playing in the kitchen when you are cooking
• Do not wear loose fitting clothing while you are cooking
• Do not reach over the stove when it is in use.
• Make sure that handles are turned toward the inside when cooking.

Heating and cooling equipment is another big leading cause of fires in homes. These devices include central units, space heaters, fireplaces and chimneys, and water heaters. Make sure that yours are safely installed and checked often.

Preventing fires due to heating and cooling appliances:

• Make sure that you have them inspected professionally each year
• Have a chimney sweep check your chimney annually
• Do not leave portable heating devices unattended for any reason
• Make sure that you purchase portable heating devices that are safe to use

Electrical wiring can also cause a lot of fires each year. This is why you should really keep a close eye on your electrical cords and wires to ensure that there are no open wires anywhere. You will need to monitor things closely to ensure that they are running smoothly and not at risk of fire.

Preventing electrical fires within your home:

• Throw away cords that are broken or stiff
• Make sure that there are no frayed wires or damaged cords
• Do not use extension cords unless you have to
• Check your cords often for damage and tears
• Do not put clothes or anything on top of lamps or lampshades
• Check to ensure that you are using the proper wattage when it comes to bulbs and other light fixtures

Another common cause of house fires is not using precaution around furniture and mattresses. This is because these types of things are highly flammable and you must use extreme precaution. When you think about it, you need to really be careful around these types of home furnishings so that you can prevent fires from happening. Smoking is a big no-no around these furnishings. Sometimes these fires are started by children that like to play with matches and lighters. Teach your children the importance of not playing with these things.

Preventing fires in your home:

• Do not let your children play with matches or lighters
• Be careful when it comes to using candles and never leave them in a room alone
• Do not use candles around things that are flammable
• Using flashlights is generally a better idea when the power goes out
• Do not smoke in the home, especially not in the bed
• Always use an ash tray if you smoke