Fire is a force of nature. Once it rages, it is difficult to stop. This is why we need to focus on what we can do which is to keep safe and prevent fire accidents from happening in our properties. When it comes to preventing fires, a little knowledge can give you degrees of safety and security.
Our resident fire damage experts and superintendents here at Midwest Remediation share their expertise to provide you some practical tips on fire safety and prevention:
- Secure fuel and flammables outside the home – Never store flammable chemicals and fuels in any part of your house as much as possible. If you still have space for a shed, by all means build one and store your gasoline and paint thinners there. Do not keep materials inside your house which can serve as fuel for fire like hay. If you see a fire sign on the label, it means that it needs to be stored in a special place apart from your house.
- Have a healthy respect for fire – Do not treat the use of fire casually by leaving candles unattended and un-extinguished after they have been used. If you enjoy smoking in your bed, please avoid doing so if you are sleepy. Giving fire the kind of respect and alertness it deserves will help you avoid situations when accidents can happen.
- Place fire extinguishers and set up alarms – Invest in fire alarms for your home and then change their batteries on a certain date annually in order to maximize their ability to protect you and your family. Get fire extinguishers which have the ABC rating. ABC fire extinguishers will be able to snuff out any kind of fire. Install smoke alarms and fire extinguishers on every floor of your home.
- Control your kitchen – Since fire and heat is ever present in the kitchen, this is the area in your home where you need to practice the most fire safety precautions. Never leave what you are cooking unattended. Make sure that the handles for your pans are turned inward so that they cannot be easily knocked down by accident. Grease fires can only grow bigger if you only use water. Keep a reserve of baking soda or salt handy in order to snuff out grease fires. Remove any packaging, paper or towels from your stove. Check and clean your exhaust fans free of grease. If you are using grills, make sure that you are cooking at least 3 feet away from your home and from any shrub that might catch fire.
- Take care of your electrical system at home – Check every length of wire in your home for fraying or exposed wires. Pets or vermin might have gotten to your cords and eaten through them. Exposed wires can produce sparks or cause a fire to erupt all of a sudden. A little due diligence in taking care of this end goes a long way to make sure your property is safe. Do not use multiple connections and plug them into one outlet. This will overcharge it and overheat the socket which can give way to a fire. Discourage pets from biting or playing with cords and wires.
Keeping these simple tips in mind can help you and your family prevent fires from happening in your property. Accidents can still happen despite our best efforts. When you have a real emergency at hand, get your family out and call emergency services as soon as possible. And once the firemen are gone, you can call Midwest Remediation to help you get on the road to recovery fast. We will clean your house of debris and smoke and soot damage.
Please get in touch with us at (317) 826-0940 for your fire damage restoration work.