Best Practices for Forming a Home Fire Safety Plan
According to FEMA, fires caused an estimated $25.6 billion in damages in 2018 alone. It goes without saying that fires are one of the biggest threats to homes. A fire can start in the blink of an eye and leave your property in ruins. Worse, fires take thousands of lives every year as well. Tidal Wave Response is a leader in fire damage restoration but there is something more important than restoring damage: preventing it. This article will go over some ways that you can take control by forming a home fire safety plan. There is no way to completely eliminate the chance of a fire, but you can work to decrease the probability.
Install Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms and detectors should be installed throughout your home or business. We recommend an alarm or detector in each bedroom, hallway, and floor. This way, you can react to a fire as soon as possible. There are even monitoring systems that can notify fire departments of a fire.
Consider A Fire Extinguisher
Though firefighters are best trained to put out a fire, you can keep fire extinguishers in your home to put out fires if they are not extensive and are fairly contained. Leave large fires to the professionals and get out of the building as soon as possible.
Plan and Perform Fire Drills
What will you do when a fire does erupt in your home? Be sure to go over the plan beforehand so that you are prepared. Each family member should the escape route from their room. Plus, we recommend that you trace at least two escape routes for each room. Remember to crawl beneath the smoke and close all doors as you leave.
Don’t leave it at planning. Practice the fire drill at least twice a year to keep it fresh in everyone’s mind. Set up a location outside and a safe distance away from the home where everyone will gather. During an actual fire, call the fire department immediately. Do not go back into the building if someone is missing. If anyone’s clothes catch on fire, then they should stop, drop, and roll to put the fire out. Firefighters are best equipped and trained to take care of this task.
Practice Worst-Case Scenarios
What will you do if you are trapped in a room? Sometimes the escape route will be blocked. In your fire escape plan, be sure to include what to do if it is not possible to get out. For beginners, we recommend that doors remain closed, door cracks are sealed with towels or blankets, and a window is opened to allow fresh air.
Call the Fire Damage Restoration Experts
After you have called the fire department, be sure to call the fire damage restoration experts at Tidal Wave Response. Our specialists will assess the damage so that you can get your fair share of insurance coverage. We will help you with the insurance claim as well as the damage restoration. Tidal Wave Response is available 24/7 with response times of under 20 minutes.
