Fire prevention is a term being heard more and more today in America. It is starting to become a standard in today’s fire departments. Fire has the ability to keep us warm and also has the ability to make us homeless. As we grow as community and the technology changes, Fire Prevention needs to be made more of a necessity in our homes today. More homes are being built out of lighter material along with being built closer and closer together. Each can lead to extreme destruction, homes being lost, people being displaced, and even death. Why should we not protect homes and defend them against an enemy that can attack at any minute? Fire prevention needs to start in the home and then be carried onward in our lives. There are very simple, inexpensive (sometimes free) ways we can protect our homes and our lives. Fire prevention has made tremendous strides in educating homeowners and improving on technology to help alert and defend homeowners of the presence of fire. One of the trends in Fire Prevention is to present old information in a new way. The need for the information doesn’t go away and in most cases is needed even more. However, the Fire Department has a challenge to educate the public in a way they might actually listen and then act upon their new knowledge. A few of the ways to prepare your home for a fire are smoke alarms, fireplace safety, fire sprinklers in the home, and defensible space. Fire Prevention: Begins at Home
Our homes can be one of the most valuable investments that anyone will make in their lives. They also are a catalyst for many deaths each year. According to the website U.S. Fire Administration, more than 4,000 Americans die each year in fires and approximately 20,000 are injured. These numbers can be brought down and even possible stopped, if people understand the importance of home fire safety. Most fire districts today have programs set up to educate homeowners and their families on the importance of fire safety. These programs are ever changing and are in most age specific. The Dallas Fire-Rescue webpage was insightful regarding programs. Dallas Fire Department in Dallas, Texas, has several age specific programs they are currently using to increase the knowledge of the residents of their district. One of the many programs that they using are for small children, is called Little Squirt Robot. It was stated as “It is a little fire engine robot communicates with children and discusses fire prevention, smoke detectors, escaping from fires and general fire safety tips.” Staying Warm
Fireplaces and chimneys need to be looked at each winter by a professional to insure the safe working of your fireplace. Many houses have wood burning fireplaces as their sole source of heat. In turn the fire places and chimneys are being used up to 24 hours a day every day, which means everything that is being burnt is going up in the chimney. The website www.move.com under the home and garden section states:
More than one-third of Americans use fireplaces, wood stoves and other fuel-fired appliances as primary heat sources in their homes. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of the fire risks of heating with wood and solid fuels. Heating fires account for 36 percent of residential home fires in rural areas every year. Often these fires are due to creosote buildup in chimneys and stovepipes. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently.
After a while the build up of flammable residue builds up on the inside of the chimney. If this residue does not get removed, it affects the efficacy of the fireplace and could cause a fire inside the chimney. With the regular maintenance of the fireplace and chimney, the possibility of a fire inside the chimney goes down exponentially. With the push to use a cleaner burning fire places, owners of natural gas or propane fireplaces still need to perform the safety checks each year.
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