October is Fire Safety Month
National Fire Prevention week is October 5-11th this year and all our attention is focused on fire safety and prevention, however we should practice fire safety all year long!
Did you know?
60% of house fire deaths occur in homes with no working smoke alarms (http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/home-fire)
Smoke Alarms: Smoke alarms save lives. When there is fire in your home, smoke will spread rapidly and you need smoke alarms to give you enough time to get out. Smoke alarms should be installed on all levels of your home, especially inside all of the bedrooms. It is extremely important to test your smoke alarms once a month. Batteries should be changed when needed, if not once a year at least. The smoke alarm itself should be completely changed out every 10 years. Remember smoke rises. Be sure to install a smoke alarm no more than 1 foot away from the ceiling. Smoke alarms should be installed 10 feet away from a cooking appliance in order to minimize a false alarm while cooking. Smoke alarms should also not be installed near doors, windows, or even ducts where drafts could interfere with their effectiveness.
Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Carbon monoxide detectors are equally as important as smoke detectors in your home. They can save your life as well. With colder weather upon us, our homes will soon be tightly sealed and our furnaces will begin to keep us toasty and warm. Today, homes are much more tightly sealed and well insulated which causes carbon monoxide to accumulate more quickly to hazardous levels. It is critical to have carbon monoxide detectors in your home. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that you install a carbon monoxide detector near a sleeping area, on every level of your home, and directly beside a fuel-burning appliance. An annual heating system tune up can help prevent carbon monoxide from accumulating in your home. We recommend the professionals over at
J.J. Sullivan — (203) 453-278 — http://jjsullivaninc.com/
Fire Extinguishers: Use caution when it comes to using a fire extinguisher. Be sure to read directions before using. The word “PASS” can be remembered on how to use a fire extinguisher properly.
Only use a fire extinguisher under the following conditions:
– The fire is contained in a small area and is not growing
– The room is not filled with smoke
– Everyone has safely exited the home
– The fire department has been called
Escape Plan: Every household member should walk through the home together and come up with an escape plan in case a fire breaks out. When walking through your home, be sure to investigate all possible exits. Drawing a map of where all the exits are in your home will come in handy in case of fire. Make sure all members of the household know at least two ways to escape from every room in your home. The household should also come up with a meeting place outside that is a safe distance away from your home. Make sure you everyone knows how to STOP, DROP, and ROLL! You should practice your escape plan with the whole household at least twice a year.