Fire Safety: Being Prepared Can Save Your Life

Each year in America, more than 4,000 people are killed as a result of fire and another 20,000 sustain some type of injury. In order to lessen your chances of being the victim of a house fire, there are some basic steps you can take to insure not only your safety, but the safety of your family as well.

Check Smoke Alarms
It's important that you not only have smoke alarms installed, but perform regular checks of the smoke alarms in your home to make sure that they are in working order. It's estimated that nearly 4% of homes in the United States have no smoke alarms present at all. Of homes that do have smoke alarms in place, 20% of those have been found to be in non-working order. By making sure that this simple device is in working order, you can not only help protect your property, but also protect your life as well.

Have Operational Fire Extinguishers
It's important to have home fire extinguishers located in your home in case of immediate emergency, and to make sure that those extinguishers are operational. Make sure that you have extinguishers placed in high risk locations in your home, like the kitchen, or near a fire place, where fires are likely to start. If you're able to act quickly then many fires can be stopped before they become out of control.

Make a point to check your fire extinguishers regularly to make sure that they are in operational order. Most home extinguishers have a test button near the nozzle which will tell you if the extinguisher still has adequate pressure to be able to work in case of an emergency. It's also a good idea for all members of the household to know how to properly use the extinguisher in case of a fire.

Develop an Escape Plan
The one thing that can save the most lives in the event of a house fire is having an effective plan of escaping the home. It's especially important for young children to understand that the best course of action for them to take is to get out of the home quickly.