Teaching Children Fire Safety

Talking about fire safety is one of the most important conversations you can have with your child. What they learn will help them in the event of any fire at any time in their lives. Consider talking to your child about these fire safety lessons:

Show your child how to safely exit a room in the event of a fire emergency. There are always two ways to get out of a room. If necessary, show them how to use an emergency escape ladder. Remind them that they should always use stairways and never an elevator.

Demonstrate how to use a door to tell if it’s safe to leave the room. Remember to look under the door for smoke and to never touch a doorknob when scoping out the situation. If the door is compromised, tell them to use the other exit.

When telling them how to leave a building, if safe, crawl on the floor and cover their mouths and nose with their shirt. This will prevent them from inhaling smoke or other dangerous fumes. Tell them not to stop for belongings or pets. When outside, tell them to stay outside and find an emergency responder if another family member is not around.

Teaching children about fire safety is extremely beneficial. In addition to your conversation, consider finding a community event where your local fire department is attending. Letting your child talk to first responders and see what equipment they use can not only be enriching for them, but can also solidify your safety talks. Either way, your child is bound to learn a lot and be safe in the event of a fire! 

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Steps You Can Take to Prevent House Fires

Keeping your home safe from fire seems like a pretty easy task. Fire hazards are typically pretty blatant: keeping matches away from children, not leaving candles or open flames unattended, unplugging electronics are the usual steps taken. However, there are some smaller steps that are often overlooked. These are a few minor things that, if ignored, can cause house fires.

1.       Be sure you aren’t overloading electrical outlets. Multiple extension cords and items plugged into adaptors can short or overheat, causing a fire. Make sure you follow manufacturer’s suggestions when plugging in your electronics.

2.       Make sure portable heaters are not close to flammable objects. If these heaters are too close to things such as blankets, certain kinds of furniture, or other fabrics in your home, they can easily catch fire. Be sure to place heaters away from items and do not leave them unattended.

3.       Remember to empty dryer vents when doing laundry. Lint can cause restricted air flow, causing gases in the dryer to back up. This in turn can cause a fire. Clean out vents with every use and have machines serviced by a professional when not working properly.

While following these tips and completing other home maintenance lower your risk for house fire, remember to prepare for surprise situations. Frequently discuss your family emergency plans, go over where supplies are, and show others how to access and use fire escape ladders. By taking precautions and preparing, you can keep your family safe! 

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The False Sense of Security Smoke Alarms Can Bring

National Fire Safety Prevention month is almost here. During the month of October, be sure to revisit your family’s fire safety plans and become more educated on related issues. With this being said, many homes tend to solely rely on smoke detectors to be their only form of fire protection. While smoke detectors are a great way to alert your family to danger, they do have some flaws. Here are a few reasons you shouldn’t only rely on smoke alarms for fire protection.

Some detectors rely on a power source while others rely on batteries. Battery powered smoke detectors are only as good as the batteries they are powered with. If you are great about changing the batteries, testing the detector, and putting in high quality batteries then these detectors should work well.  However, remember to replace batteries, test, and don’t skimp on battery quality.

Also, be aware of “false alarms” when it comes to your smoke detectors. Many are used to the smoke alarm going off when kitchen mishaps occur. Be sure you haven’t disabled your alarm because of these mishaps. Also, if you live in a building and fire alarms go off frequently, be sure to treat every instance like a practice run. Emergency or not, you’ll be prepared.

Smoke detectors can save lives in the event of a fire emergency, using only them as fire protection can provide a false sense of security. Be sure to pair your alarms with other safety measures such as emergency plans and portable ladders for fire escape. Check out ResQLadder®.com for more emergency escape ladders and emergency preparedness plans!

Why Family Safety Plans are Necessary

When thinking of emergency safety plans, many families feel that their family knows what to do. However, having a unified plan and talking regularly with your family can ensure that everyone is safe if the need to use the plan arises. Here are a few points to talk about when reviewing your emergency procedure:

Know where to meet up. Having a unified meeting place outside your home can be crucial to ensuring everyone is safe. Choose a meeting place that is away from any possible danger, like the sidewalk by your home or outside a nearby neighbor’s home. By designating a location, you can quickly take count of who is there and inform the authorities who is missing.

Have an exit partner. If you have small children or elderly in your home, you should discuss who is in charge of helping them exit the home. This way, all individuals are accounted for and those who need it are helped out.

Know where your exits are. Everyone should know two ways out of a room in the event one exit is blocked. Remind your family to use the door, and not the doorknob, when checking if a room has fire. Show everyone how to use an emergency ladder if escaping from upper levels of your home.

Update your plan regularly. Updating supplies, telling new household members, and revising plans regularly can keep everyone ready for an emergency. Make sure emergency numbers are written down and visible in the home, as well as programmed in cellular devices.

By staying informed and updated, you and your family have the best chances of staying safe in an emergency. Contact us to learn more about our emergency ladder selections.