Fire Safety Checklist for Your Home
Posted in Safety on March 14, 2016
Every year, fires cause thousands of injuries and deaths and billions of dollars in property damage. The injuries a person might sustain from a house fire include burns, internal respiratory damage from smoke inhalation, or injuries sustained from falls during escape attempts. If you or a loved one suffer from any injuries sustained during a fire, contact an experienced Kansas City, MO personal injury lawyer for legal help. There are some basic steps any family can take to limit risk of a house fire as well as a few things you should have on hand and readily available in case of a house fire.
Form Good Habits
Fire safety in the home begins with understanding safe practices and forming good everyday habits that limit the risk of a fire. These include:
- Smoking outdoors and keeping any lighters, matches, and ashtrays out of children’s reach and away from flammable surfaces and substances.
- Ensuring furniture is situated a safe distance from heat sources such as space heaters, wall heaters, radiators, baseboard heaters, and fireplaces. Fireplaces, chimneys and furnaces should also be annually inspected. If you do use space heaters in your home, make sure they have an automatic shut-off feature in case they tip over.
- Never leaving candles unattended. Keep them where pets and children cannot reach. Children and animals should never be left alone with open flames, including small scented candles. Candles should only be burnt in sturdy non-flammable containers.
- Keeping your kitchen as clean and clutter-free as possible. Make sure you never leave active stoves and cooktops unattended, and keep any flammable substances out of the kitchen. Other appliances require attention, as well. Your laundry dryer’s lint filter and ventilation system should be regularly cleaned.
- Safeguarding electronics. Your electronics may also cause a fire if left in an unsafe state. Appliances should be plugged directly into outlets and not into surge protectors or extension cords. Verify that all of your electrical cords are intact and free from frays and cracks, and do not run them under rugs.
Install Reliable Fire Security
Smoke alarms should be in every area of your home. There should be a smoke alarm inside and outside of every sleeping area, and all alarms need to be tested monthly. Replace the batteries whenever necessary, and replace any smoke alarms that are more than ten years old.
You also need to have carbon monoxide alarms in every level of your home, and check that they are less than 7 years old. Carbon monoxide poisoning is extremely dangerous, and it can result when any type of fuel is burnt.
Fire extinguishers should also be kept near any potential fire hazards, such as your laundry room, furnace room, kitchen, and near outdoor grilling areas. Fire extinguishers should also be regularly inspected. Your local fire department can provide guidance on effective fire extinguisher care as well as recharges when needed.
Have a Backup Plan
If a fire does occur and you must escape your home, you and your family should have an escape plan, and everyone should know exactly what to do in case of a fire. Your home should be as clutter-free as possible to make it easier to escape and limit the risk of being trapped. Choose a meeting place for everyone to gather once they’ve escaped the house, and make sure you never re-enter your home once you escape.
Stay low as you move through your home to the exit. Smoke from fire rises, and it is extremely toxic if inhaled. Countless fire victims die from asphyxiation as well as burns. You and your family should regularly practice your fire escape plan, and make sure you form effective preventative habits in your everyday life to limit your chances of having to escape a house fire.
Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
Fowler Pickert Eisenmenger Norfleet is an experienced and successful injury and accident law firm in Kansas City, MO. Mr. Eisenmenger is dedicated to providing each and everyone of their clients who have suffered injuries as a result of being involved in an accident caused by the negligence of others with the best possible legal representation. We do this by seeking and obtaining the maximum amount of compensation for his clients full physical and or emotional recovery. If you or someone you care for have suffered a burn or any other type of injury relating to a fire, contact us for a free legal consultation ASAP!