Fire Preparedness: How to Protect you Property before Disaster Strikes

8/29/2023 (Permalink)

The best way to stop a fire is to keep it from ever happening.  

Nearly half of fires start in the kitchen, leaving food unattended on the stove. There are several easy tips to keep fires from starting in your kitchen. Never leave cooking food unattended, and never cook when tired. Check back on food that takes long to cook, making sure that water hasn’t boiled away, keep oven mitts, towels, and wooden utensils away from the stove, keep a fire extinguisher nearby but not too close to a cooking source that you would be unable to access it in the event of a fire.  

Home fires can also be caused by faulty wiring or the use of space heaters when sleeping. Fire safety tips for bedrooms, and other rooms in your home include blowing out candles before bed or leaving the house, placing laptops, cell phones, or other charging devices on a solid surface. Electronic devices charging on a bed or carpet, where if overheated, can start a fire.  Check the wiring through the house to make sure it is up to code, never leave electric blankets on overnight, turning them off when ready to sleep. Chimneys should be inspected and cleaned each year, only using dry wood, install a chimney cap to prevent animals from nesting, and of course, put out a fire before leaving or going to bed.