The home is where the heart is. With this in mind, you should give a top priority on practicing fire safety in your home, especially with kids around. Fire safety measures are not to be taken for granted. Make your children aware of the seriousness of a fire. As soon as you are settled in your home, immediately inculcate fire safety practices to make your home not only a comfortable place to live but a safety place as well.
Following Are Safety Measures You Should Take Into Consideration:
1. Make a drawing the escape route and discuss this with the whole family. Make sure to show at least two exits from every room.
2. Every two to three months, try to practice this exit route blindfolded. The blindfold serves to represent the difficulty of seeing in case a fire happens at night there is too much smoke.
3. Windows must be easy to open in case of emergency. Let your family members know that it is okay to break windows in an emergency and it would not open.
4. Keep bedroom doors closed when asleep. This serves as a barrier from the smoke and heat. Before you open the door, check it out for heat.
5. Your smoke detectors batteries have to be replaced every year. New Years is a good time to replace them.
6. Teach your children how to contact 911. Let them know that 911 calls are made for emergency cases. If ever they use a cell phone, tell them your home address or write it somewhere easy to see.
How To Prevent Fires:
1.Keep flammable items and fire hazardous materials out of children’s reach. Store them properly. Such items include cleaning materials and some household products, kerosene, matches, lighters, alcohol, candles and paint. Gasoline, paint thinner and highly flammable materials should be stored outside of the home.
2. Use cooking appliances and stove safely. When they are not in use, you can remove the knobs from your stove, or use safety ones. Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.
3. Electrical appliances should be kept out of children’s reach too. Make your home safe by ensuring that wires are situated somewhere the children could not reach. Cover outlets when not in use.
4. Clean the lint filters in dryers and inspects them regularly. One of the major causes of home fires is a build-up of dryer lint.
5. Minimize artworks or papers in your wall area. These materials could make a fire burn faster.
6. Provide home extinguisher on every floor of the house.
Lighters and matches cause many home fires. Children have a certain fascination with fire, and sometimes they hide from your sight to play with matches or lighters. Take note that closets or bedrooms are often their secret hiding place to play fire.
For children, the home is a special place. It is an exciting place where they learn and explore. Make sure to keep your home safe at all times. Practicing fire safety at home will ensure that your home is safe.