Fire Safety for Your Home

During the holiday season, with cozy fireplaces blazing and comfort food baking, fire safety should be at the top of every homeowner's list. Having the right tools in your home is imperative in order to keep your family and home safe from fire. Here are three things every home should have when it comes to fire security.

Smoke Detectors: Smoke detectors are definitely the most important fixtures in your home. If you are lucky, you will only hear their siren when you burn a batch of cookies. However, if your home were to catch fire during the night, your smoke detectors would get you up and moving. First, make sure you have smoke detectors in multiple parts of your house. The rule from the International Association of Fire Chiefs states that you should have smoke detectors on every level of your house (including the basement) and one in front of each bedroom. Remember that this is only the minimum recommendation...the more you have, the safer you will be, so don't forget the kitchen and living room.

Don't ever assume your smoke detectors are in working order. Test them frequently--every month and after a vacation. Change the batteries when the smoke detectors emit a beeping sound. Even if they don't beep, change them every fall, or use your birthday as a reminder. Always use new batteries, and replace the smoke detector every ten years. Most fire departments across the country have programs that provide smoke detectors for free or for a nominal charge to low-income families. Contact your local fire department for more information.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors: Frequent headaches, fatigue, nausea, and confusion are all symptoms of carbon monoxide (CO2) poisoning. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless poison that can seriously harm or even kill you. To help keep this from happening, be sure to install carbon monoxide detectors in your home. It's important to have at least one detector in your home, preferably one on each level. It should be located at least 15 feet away from the gas or oil furnace or water heater, and in the hallway outside of a bedroom.

There are multiple types of these detectors on the market, from plug-ins to those combined with smoke detectors. The type doesn't necessarily matter, as long as it has the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) seal. Like your smoke detector, clean and test the carbon monoxide detector monthly and, if it is battery-operated, replace the battery every year.

Fire Extinguishers: Most small fires in the home begin in the kitchen. These may be easily controlled if you have a fire extinguisher in your home.

Fire extinguishers come with ratings for the size and type of fire they can put out. The letter (A, B, or C) tells you the type of fire, such as ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids, or electrical. The number in front of the letter tells you the size of fire it can put out--the larger the number, the larger the area it can cover. For a household fire extinguisher, look for one with the following rating: 1A; 10B; C or 3A; 10B; C.

When using a fire extinguisher, remember the acronym P.A.S.S. Pull the pin. Aim at the base of the fire. Squeeze the handle or trigger. Sweep in a side-to-side motion.

These are just a few of the ways you can practice fire safety in your home. Having the proper equipment can ensure that both your family and possessions are safe during the holiday season and beyond.

Sources:
Fire Safety http://www.firesafety.gov/
International Association of Fire Chiefs http://www.iafc.org/displayindustryarticle.cfm?articlenbr=40884