Important Home Fire Safety Checklist
http://www.articlesweekly.com/articles/60180/1/Important-Home-Fire-Safety-Checklist/Page1.html
Scott Mitchell
Scott Mitchell is a fire and life safety expert at WPS Disaster Management Solutions. WPS is an industry leader in disaster planning and emergency planning. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.wps-plan.com By Scott Mitchell
Published on December 23rd, 2009
Each year the annual Fire Prevention Week takes place from October 4th, through October 11th which raises people’s awareness about the importance of fire safety However, anytime is a good time to establish a home fire safety checklist so that your family can be prepared in the case of a fire
Each year the annual Fire Prevention Week takes place from October 4th, through October 11th which raises people’s awareness about the importance of fire safety. However, anytime is a good time to establish a home fire safety checklist so that your family can be prepared in the case of a fire. Establishing this checklist will help you to prevent injury or death from the leading causes of household fires: cooking, heating, electrical equipment and smoking materials.
The following checklist is an easy way to ensure that your family is prepared.
- Install and test the smoke detectors in all the bedrooms in your house. It is a good idea to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors each year. Make sure that you have smoke detectors on every level of your house, in the kitchen and in all bedrooms.
- Make sure there are working fire extinguishers are on all floors of your house. Read the instructions on your fire extinguisher so you and your family understand the proper use of the instrument. The normal reaction by an untrained person is to aim the fire extinguisher at the flames but this will not properly extinguish a fire.
To prevent any problems in the case of an emergency, a good acronym to remember for the correct operation of a fire extinguisher is PASS.
P is for Pull the pin which is located on the handle.
A is for aim at the base of the fire rather than at the flames.
S is for squeeze the level slowly so you don’t waste the flame retardant.
S is for sweep with the fire extinguisher from side to side at the base of the fire.
- Create and practice a fire safety plan so that your family knows how to exit the house quickly and safely in the event of a major fire. Make sure that there are at least two unobstructed ways to escape from each bedroom in your house; both a window and a door. Plan an emergency meeting place near your home and practice the proper evacuation routine with your children so that they will not hesitate in the event of a real emergency. Remember that the first rule in any fire emergency is to get outside as fast as possible and don’t go back inside.
- Identify the major fire hazards in your household. For example, make sure flammable containers that hold paints or hazardous materials are properly stored away from sunlight and far from any possible source of ignition. Check old appliances and extension cords to make sure the cables are not frayed or damaged. If you have a fireplace, make sure that a screen is always placed in front of it. Keep any oily rages in a tightly sealed container.
- Have an easily accessible emergency contact list in your home. Include the name and telephone number of an emergency contact in your family. Also have the emergency phone number for the local fire department. Make sure your children are familiar with calling 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency.
The following checklist is an easy way to ensure that your family is prepared.
- Install and test the smoke detectors in all the bedrooms in your house. It is a good idea to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors each year. Make sure that you have smoke detectors on every level of your house, in the kitchen and in all bedrooms.
- Make sure there are working fire extinguishers are on all floors of your house. Read the instructions on your fire extinguisher so you and your family understand the proper use of the instrument. The normal reaction by an untrained person is to aim the fire extinguisher at the flames but this will not properly extinguish a fire.
To prevent any problems in the case of an emergency, a good acronym to remember for the correct operation of a fire extinguisher is PASS.
P is for Pull the pin which is located on the handle.
A is for aim at the base of the fire rather than at the flames.
S is for squeeze the level slowly so you don’t waste the flame retardant.
S is for sweep with the fire extinguisher from side to side at the base of the fire.
- Create and practice a fire safety plan so that your family knows how to exit the house quickly and safely in the event of a major fire. Make sure that there are at least two unobstructed ways to escape from each bedroom in your house; both a window and a door. Plan an emergency meeting place near your home and practice the proper evacuation routine with your children so that they will not hesitate in the event of a real emergency. Remember that the first rule in any fire emergency is to get outside as fast as possible and don’t go back inside.
- Identify the major fire hazards in your household. For example, make sure flammable containers that hold paints or hazardous materials are properly stored away from sunlight and far from any possible source of ignition. Check old appliances and extension cords to make sure the cables are not frayed or damaged. If you have a fireplace, make sure that a screen is always placed in front of it. Keep any oily rages in a tightly sealed container.
- Have an easily accessible emergency contact list in your home. Include the name and telephone number of an emergency contact in your family. Also have the emergency phone number for the local fire department. Make sure your children are familiar with calling 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency.