Home fire protection should include ample smoke alarms, a household fire plan and fire-protection supplies. A home fire can start anytime and will spread quickly. Implementing the best tips for home fire protection can keep families safe in the case of a fire.
Smoke alarms should be placed throughout the house. Each floor of the house should have at least one alarm. There should also be one alarm in each bedroom. Alarms should not be placed near windows, fireplaces or kitchen appliances.
When installing a smoke alarm, it is usually placed on the ceiling. The alarms can be mounted on the wall as long as they are 6 to 12 inches (15 to 30 centimeters) down from the ceiling. Smoke alarms should be tested monthly and their batteries replaced yearly. Alarms that are more than 10-years-old should be completely replaced.
Another best tip for home fire protection is to create a household fire plan. This is a plan that can include an escape route, an outside meeting place and a call for emergency services. Drawing a map that outlines all the escape routes in the house will help everyone living in the home know where to go in case of a fire. The plan can be reviewed every year and displayed in the home.
A good tip for home fire protection is to establish a meeting place outside. An outside meeting place is somewhere all members of the household will gather after escaping a house fire. This should be a place far enough away from the house for safety, but should be somewhere that is familiar. Some people choose a neighbor's house, a yard tree or a street sign.
In the event of an actual fire, someone in the house will need to call emergency services. It may be helpful to choose one or two people in charge of calling for services if there is a house fire. This person can call from a cellular phone outside the home or run to a neighbor's house and use the telephone there.
Home fire protection also includes having the right fire-protection supplies. This includes smoke alarms, but also may include fire extinguishers, fire blankets and a fire-escape ladder. Fire extinguishers and fire blankets are most often used to put out small house fires that have just begun. They will not control a fire that is large and spreading quickly.
A fire-escape ladder is needed for people who live in a multi-story home or higher-level apartment. The fire ladder clips onto the window sill in the case that people can not get out of the house using the doors. It is a necessity in home fire protection.