In 2012, approximately 365,000 fires occurred in homes
throughout the U.S., resulting in almost 3,000 deaths and over 12,500
injuries. Though the rates of
these instances have been declining over the past decade, Blais Insurance wants
you and your family to be fully prepared in case of an emergency.
As fires spread rapidly through your home, they leave you with as little as two minutes to escape. This is why it is necessary to take full precautionary measures and be ready at a moment’s notice. According to the National Fire Protection Association, here are some essential tips to ensure your family’s safety:
As fires spread rapidly through your home, they leave you with as little as two minutes to escape. This is why it is necessary to take full precautionary measures and be ready at a moment’s notice. According to the National Fire Protection Association, here are some essential tips to ensure your family’s safety:
•
Walk through your home
and inspect all possible exits and escape routes.
•
Draw a floor plan of
your home and mark two ways out of each room, including windows and doors. Mark the location of each smoke alarm.
•
Practice your escape
routes with your family members to be sure everyone knows all possible routes
and memorizes their options.
•
Plan routes from each
floor in case the fire begins from lower levels of the home and make it
impossible to leave from the bottom floor.
•
Designate an outside
meeting place (i.e. a mailbox, neighbors driveway) that is a safe distance from
your home for everyone to meet back at after they have escaped.
•
Inform guests about
your family’s escape plan, especially those who are staying overnight.
•
Perform monthly fire
drills, and have your family practice getting low in case of toxic smoke on
their escape out of the home.
Remember in tall buildings to never use the elevator in the
event of a fire, and to talk to your building manager about posting evacuation
routes for each floor. When searching for an apartment or high-rise home, be
sure to look for one with an automatic sprinkler system, as these can
extinguish a home fire in less time than it takes for the fire department to
arrive.
- If you have an elderly resident
living in your home, various other precautions should be taken to ensure their
safety as they may require more assistance in case of an emergency. The U.S. Fire Administration has
created an entire packet for these instances and can be accessed here: http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/fa-300.pdf
- For more fire safety tips and access to printable lists for your home, visit http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/escape-planning.
- For more fire safety tips and access to printable lists for your home, visit http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/escape-planning.
At Blais Insurance, your safety and security is our top
priority. For a complimentary
review of your current policies, call us at (401) 725 - 0070.
