Being an Associate Broker/Realtor in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey, I see many homes, attend many home inspections and value home ownership and most of all home safety. Theis blog focuses on fire safety and proactive things that you can do to be safe on a daily basis.
Keep Your Family Safe From Fire
According to the National Safety Council, Cooking and heating are the leading causes of home fires and fire injuries, and winter months are the peak time for fire-related deaths. Now is the perfect time to review and practice fire safety.
When cooking, make fire safety a priority by keeping these tips in mind:
- Be alert; if you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the oven or stovetop
- Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, boiling or broiling food
- When simmering, baking or roasting, check the food regularly, remain in the kitchen while cooking and use a timer
- Keep anything that can catch fire away from your stovetop
Heating is the second leading cause of home fires. Follow these tips from the American Red Cross:
- Keep all flammables, like paper, clothing, bedding, drapes or rugs, at least 3 feet from a space heater, stove or fireplace
- Never leave portable heaters and fireplaces unattended; turn off heaters and make sure fireplace embers are extinguished before leaving the room
- If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, nonflammable surface, like ceramic tile, not on a rug or carpet
- Keep children and pets away from space heaters
- When buying a space heater, look for models that shut off automatically if the heater falls over
In addition to cooking, other top causes of fire include smoking, electrical problems and candles. To minimize risks:
- Institute a “no smoking” policy in the house
- Check all cords and replace any that are frayed or have bare wires
- Switch to flameless candles
- Keep matches and lighters high and out of children’s reach in a locked cabinet
About three out of five fire deaths happen in homes with no smoke alarms or working smoke alarms. Smoke alarms are a key part of a home fire escape plan providing early warning reducing your risk of dying in a fire.
Taking proactive measures and safety training is the best policy. I am a firm believer of smoke/CO2 detectors and especially, ones that communicate with each other. Putting a simple smoke detector with batteries in some or multiple rooms is a waste. Why? Because if they are not connected and a fire occurs in another part of the home, it would be difficult to hear a smoke or CO2 detector on the second floor is a battery operated smoke detector .
The answer is having a wired systems and or a radio connected system where all smoke/CO2 detectors tale to each other. This way, if a fire or CO2 discharge occurs, every smoke detector sounds off in your home. This is home my own personal home is set up and I recommend this for every homeowner. Kidde is the brand that I had installed and they are wired and wire free and interconnected throughout my home. They also have 10 year Lithium powered batteries in case there is a power outage. Of course there are many other brands but this is one that Ed Pfeiffer, a local Fire Marshal in Warwick Township, PA recommended to me.
Finally, have an escape plan! The National Safety Council and many more agencies have recommended fire escape plans. Click on the link to learn more and develop your own plan! Now you have to practice your fire safety plan so everyone in your home is prepared in case you have a fire.
When and How to Use Fire Extinguisher
Always put your safety first; if you are not confident in your ability to use a fire extinguisher, get out and call 9-1-1. The American Red Cross cautions you to evaluate the situation and ensure:
- Everyone has left or is leaving the home
- The fire department has been called
- The fire is small, not spreading, and there is not much smoke
- Your back is to an exit you can use quickly
Learn about the different types of fire extinguishers; not all will work on every fire. For home use, the National Fire Protection Association recommends a multi-purpose device large enough to put out a small fire but not so heavy that it will be difficult to handle.
Review the instructions once a year. If you need to use a fire extinguisher, there won’t be time to learn how to do it.
To use a fire extinguisher, remember the acronym PASS:
- Pull the pin.
- Aim low at the base of the fire.
- Squeeze the handle slowly.
- Sweep the nozzle side to side.
In summary, fire safety is one of the most critical things that you will learn in your lifetime, Whether you rent or own your residence, make fire safety a priority as your life could depend on it.
Frank Dolski MBA, ABR, ePRO
Associate Broker, AB066707
Coldwell Banker Hearthside Realtors
Licensed in Pennsylvania & New Jersey
Mobile: (215) 803-3237
Office: (215) 794-1070 Extension: 103
Fax: (215) 794-8589
F.Dolski@cbhearthside.com
http://www.frankdolski.com
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