Four Fire Prevention Strategies

first-aid casever 3,000 people die in America each year due to home fires, most of which can be prevented by using simple fire prevention techniques. Some Personal Safety Equipment, such as fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, play an important role in warding off fire danger. In addition, testing electrical equipment to identify any potential problems periodically, as well as purchasing the safest kinds of personal heaters and GFCI outlets, will go a long way in reducing the risk of fire as well. Beyond that, four (4) basic strategies as listed below will definitely minimize fire danger and provide a safer environment in the home (and garage) for you and your family.

Four Fire Prevention Strategies

  1. Install Personal Safety Equipment: This is the simplest, most basic of fire prevention efforts. To install personal safety equipment, you must first identify what will alert you in case a fire erupts. Common items such as smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and the like are must-have items for every home. Ideally, smoke detectors should be installed on every floor, with rooms occupied frequently like the kitchen, family/living room, and bedrooms having dedicated smoke detectors installed. We recommend fire extinguishers be present in the kitchen, garage, laundry room and one per floor in multi-story homes.
  1. Develop an Escape Plan If Fire Should Occur: Having a plan for evacuating the family in the event a fire breaks out should not only be developed, but also practiced semi-annually. If you have a multi-story home, be sure and identify specific escape routes through upstairs bedroom or hall windows. Make sure you have ladders tall enough and sturdy enough to reach designated exit points and literally practice “escaping” from them.
  1. Practical Fire Prevention Applications: Portable heaters are a major source of house fires each year. This often occurs due to dangerous heater placement, using older heaters that don’t have automatic tip-over shutoff switches, or overloading outlets with extension cords and octopus outlets. When using personal heaters, always make sure they are placed at least three (3) feet away from walls and any flammable surface and/or other electrical equipment. In addition, do not overload wiring capacity with multiple electrical items plugged into to extension cords or octopuses.
  1. Safety Products That Reduce Fire Risk: Every home should have GFCI outlets installed in the kitchen, bathroom(s), laundry room, and garage workshop area. In addition, replace personal heaters with new ones that have automatic shut-off switches in the event they tip over. (See Equipsupply.com’s full line of portable heaters.) Finally, if you have a workshop with electric tools and/or numerous conventional appliances in the home, we strongly recommend purchasing the Short Stop AC Leakage Tester. It is perfect for testing small electrical tools, extension cords, and appliances drawing up to 20 ampules.