Fire Safety at Home
After the fire at my parent’s house, fire safety has been on my mind and I decided it was a great time to make sure our house is safe and prepared in case anything were to happen. According to the Red Cross: “House fires are one of the most common emergencies experienced by Canadians in their home - and many of these fires occur in the winter months.” I shared a few thoughts about fire safety on my Instagram stories and I got so many questions about products I’ve purchased and tips I may have. I am in no way an expert, but have done some research to keep my family safe and I definitely encourage you to do the same! To help you out, I’ve listed a few fire safety “dos and don’ts” when it comes to your family home, as well as some products I recommend!
Fire Safety dos:
DO Install Smoke Alarms on every level of your home. Make sure there are alarms in every bedroom and outside sleeping areas, so they can be heard when your family is sleeping. Some new smart smoke alarms link together so if the alarm in the basement is activated the ones in the bedroom will go off as well. One of my favorite smoke alarms is the Nest because it checks its own battery! The Nest is also a carbon monoxide detector, so it saves you from having to buy both products and it can be controlled from your phone. One of the best features? It changes colour depending on the seriousness of the alert. If it’s yellow, you may just be burning toast, but if it’s red you are in a danger zone. We have these installed in our home and I really trust them for our family.
DO Test Smoke Alarms every single month. Make sure to change the batteries immediately if they’re not working. Plan to change your battery twice a year; many people make a habit of doing it with daylight savings time. However, make sure you know what battery your smoke alarm has as some of them last about a decade and do not need replacing, but they still need to be tested. Create a fire escape plan with a meeting place outside like a tree, a neighbors house or somewhere close that everyone will be familiar with. When a fire is in the developing stage, the majority of smoke and heat will be near the ceiling, so teach your kids to crawl and stay low under the smoke while leaving their house. Once you leave a burning house never go back in for pets or toys, the firefighters will save them.
DO Create a Fire Escape Plan. Make sure that every member of the family knows the plan and what their part in the plan is. If you have little kids, it could be as simple as calling for help or making sure they don’t open their door if it’s hot. It’s also important to practice the plan at least twice a year.
DO Buy a Fire Extinguisher. Keep it near an escape route and near heat sources. It’s a good idea to keep fire extinguishers on every level of your home if possible. If anything be sure to keep one accessible in or near the kitchen. 1-A: 10-BC is a good fire extinguisher for a household. It extinguishes the widest range of burning materials. It is important to follow the manufacturers recommendations on care and replacement of your specific extinguisher. Make sure everyone knows where they are located and how to use them, otherwise they’re pointless.
Tags in fire extinguishers say what type of fire they’re rated for and how much fire they can extinguish. Class A fires are wood/paper/plastic. Class B fires are flammable liquids. Class C fires are energized electrical equipment.
DO Use Your Electrical Products Properly. If used improperly, household electrical products can be huge fire and safety hazards. Electrical products such as extension cords, power bars and the wiring throughout your home. It’s not advised to use extension cords long term but if you do be sure the cord is in good condition and big enough to handle to load placed on it. Invest in more expensive thicker extension cords, because they are safer. Any cooking appliance or space heater should be plugged directly into an outlet and not into power strip or extension cord. Old power strips that have been overloaded are the cause of many fires. Replace any extension cords immediately if found damaged. Be careful running any cords under rugs as heat can build up causing a fire.
Professionally installed wiring can be good for many years, but after a few decades you should get your wiring inspected annually just to make sure it is still fully in tact and properly fits your appliances.
DO Use Candles Properly and Safely. Never leave them unattended while lit and keep them away from anything that may catch fire or knock it over.
DO Find Out What Fire Hazards are Present in Your Home. Be aware of these hazards and what you can do to prevent fire. This Fire Safety Prevention Checklist takes you through your house, room by room and floor by floor to check for hazards you may be unaware of.
DO Keep Flammable Items Away from Heat Sources. Curtains, bed sheets, combustible decorations, etc.
DO Get Your Chimney Cleaned. An inspection and cleaning of your chimney should be done a minimum of once a year. If you use your fireplace consistently, then a more frequent cleaning will be needed to ensure it does not become a fire hazard.
DO Be Aware of Space Heaters. Space heaters can be tricky — some don’t get you warm enough, others get too hot and become a fire safety issue. But we think the newest model of the Dyson fan heater is one of the best you can buy. Yes, it’s pricey, but it’s a space heater and cooling fan in one device, and what’s especially great for parents is that unlike with most space heaters, there are no exposed heating elements that kids (or uh, parents) can accidentally touch.
You can set the Dyson fan heater to turn off once you fall asleep too, which is good for both safety and money-savings. And during the day, it automatically turns off when it hits your desired temperature…or if it happens to fall over. Because, kids. Plus, they’ve made significant safety improvements in the last year from their original fan heaters, which is one thing we’ve always liked about Dyson; they’re just always getting better."
Fire Safety doN’Ts:
DO NOT Keep Old Smoke Alarms. Your alarms should be no more than ten years old before being replaced.
DO NOT Ignore False Alarms. Always investigate a false alarm incase something is happening behind the scenes that cannot be easily seen.
DO NOT Keep Matches, Lighters or Candles in Reach of Children. These items may look like toys to children and although they say child-resistant, this does not mean child-proof.
DO NOT Forget to Teach Your Children About Age Appropriate Fire Safety. Their age will depend on what they can understand and/or help with, so keep that in mind and increase your information as they grow. If you are unsure of where to begin, you can use this age-by-age guide on what to teach your kids and what safety procedures they should be responsible for.
DO NOT Wait for a Fire to Test Safety Products. Be prepared and test everything before a fire so that, if anything were to happen, you know you’re ready.
DO NOT Leave Oven Mitts or Dish Towels Near the Stove. These are items that can easily catch fire if they are near heat. Something as simple as leaving an oven mitt on a burner after dinner could cause a house fire.
DO NOT Let Lint Build Up. Lint is combustible and can start a fire if left to build up in your dryer. The first thing you should do before putting wet clothes in your dryer is to clean the dryer lint trap. Make sure to remove the lint from the screen and wipe around the edges.
DO NOT Fear Firefighters. This is for your little ones. Teach your kids not to be scared of firefighters and not to hide from them if they are trapped inside their home during a fire. Firefighters will look funny and sound funny, but don’t hide from them.
FIRE SAFETY PRODUCTS:
CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR
Splurge || Save
FIRE EXTINGUISHER
Splurge || Save
FIRE ESCAPE LADDER
Splurge || Save
SAFE SPACE HEATER
Splurge || Save
It’s so important to be aware of these “Dos and Don’ts” and take action in keeping your family safe before something terrible happens. The fire at my parent’s home was completely unexpected and awful, but I’m glad it pushed me to create a safer environment for my family. If you have any fire safety products you use in your home, please leave them below. We can never be too safe!
Much Love,
*All fire safety information was found on the Red Cross and Health Canada websites, as well as from a friend who works in a local Fire Department