United States fire departments respond to an average of 358,500 home fires per year, which cause upwards of $6.7 billion in direct damage. It’s important to protect your home and perform preventative measures for fire safety--When it comes to putting those measures in place, we have a few recommendations on how you can be prepared.
Install the right number of smoke alarms. At a minimum, smoke alarms should be installed on each level of the home and outside of each sleeping area. Installing interconnected smoke alarms in each bedroom and throughout the home is the best way to ensure everyone is alerted when smoke is detected.
Test smoke alarms every month. Use the test button to check your smoke alarms’ functionality once a month. It’s important to keep track of which smoke alarms need to be fixed so they are all functioning properly in case of emergency. If you have battery-powered smoke alarms, be sure to change batteries at least once per year.
Replace smoke alarms every 10 years. This is the recommended amount of time by the National Fire Protection Association and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Smoke alarms become less sensitive over time, so it’s imperative that they remain up-to-date. You can purchase smoke alarms here.
Teach children what smoke alarms sound like. The sound of smoke alarms can be scary for younger children especially, and it’s important to teach them what to do when they hear one. Instead of freezing out of fear, they will be empowered to act accordingly.
Make household members aware of two ways to escape. Use the American Red Cross’ Home Fire Escape Plan to draw a rough outline of your floor plan and highlight the best ways to escape from each room in your home.
Establish a family emergency plan. The American Red Cross offers a multitude of emergency plans for every kind of residential housing, which can be useful to print out and hang in your home.
Practice escaping from your home. Practice what an escape would look like from your home, especially if you have younger family members. It’s recommended that families practice twice per year.
Make sure everyone knows how to dial 9-1-1. If you are in harm’s way when a smoke alarm sounds, a child may have to be the one to call 9-1-1. Be sure that they know how to dial from your home or cell phone, and teach them to clearly state their name, location, and what the emergency is. Keeping a note of the address nearby the phone can be helpful, or use a 911 Call Simulator.
Teach STOP, DROP, and ROLL. If your family members’ clothes should catch on fire, they could save their lives by remembering to stop, drop, and roll. There are plenty of educational resources and videos online that will aid you in teaching young family members how to perform this action.
While residential fires can be terrifying to think about as a homeowner, having the right measures in place to help prevent an emergency can make a world of difference. If you live with others, an emergency plan can help save lives should you be faced with a fire at home.
