Fire Safety at Home!

It takes just little planning to avoid ever having to make a choice of whether or not to through your child out of a window to save their lives. Fire safety at home is all about planning and practice. There are some important things to think about in preparing for a fire.If you live or have bedrooms on the second or third floor purchase  fire ladders and install it beneath your windows. 

Know what to do

Many fire fighters have found children under beds, in closets, and a myriad of other places in a house fire. Just because your child goes to school and participates in fire drills, does not necessarily mean they will understand what to do at home. You need to prepare your children for what to do if fire strikes at home.

Be prepared

Being prepared is about having all the tools you need in an emergency. Simply having a fire extinguisher is important. However, when was the last time it was taken to a Fire station and checked. When was the last time you checked the batteries in your fire alarms? Many people have not gotten a carbon monoxide detector, have you? Other than tools are your ready if an emergency happens?

Have an escape route

In order to have an escape route you need to be aware of where all of the doors and windows are in your house and which one is most likely your best escape if you cannot exit via the front door. This is especially important if you live on the second floor. Do you own a collapsible ladder to use to escape from the second floor?

What you need for an Emergency Kit

Here is a list of things you should have ready in a bag that is near your escape exit in case of fire: Copies if important papers (include a driver’s license, insurance papers, birth certificates, social security cards, include copies of anything important which may be on your home computer, all of this information could be stored on a jump drive. Medicines that you or your children need to take to ensure your health. You can ask your doctor or pediatrician for samples to keep in your emergency kit. Also you should include an extra set of keys, a check book, an emergency credit card, and a list of emergency numbers. You will need warm clothing and travel size toilettes for each family member (diapers and wet wipes if there is an infant or small child), at least one blanket, one bottle of water for each person, and non-perishable snacks. Include a small first aid kit. It would be best if this fire safety kit is kept in a sturdy duffle type bag with a variety of compartments that will allow for toiletries to leak or break if the bag needs to be thrown. I also suggest a baby sling or body attachment carrier is included especially in the case of a second floor escape plan. Place this kit in a place you will think to grab it in an emergency situation, such as under the bed or in your closet.

Pets

It is also important to train your pets as part of you safety plan. Cats and Small doges will need carriers to get into in the escape route.If you have a pet door. Train them to go out the door when the alarm sounds. Make sure if you have pets a person is assigned to take care of getting the pet out with the family and make sure you practice

The most important part of planning for your family’s safety is to practice your escape plan.

People tend to panic when an emergency comes. So, practicing for an emergency is a crucial part of planning. It is so interesting that people fail to plan by practicing, yet, on the news we see emergency personnel practicing all of the time. If they are constantly dealing with emergencies and they practice, then those of us who do not deal with them regularly really need the practice. Practice it has been said makes perfect. I am not sure I believe that is true. However, I do believe that practice makes permanent and in the case of an emergency having the understanding of what to do made permanent can save everyone. So, practice, practice, practice!!I hope these five steps will hopefully prepare you and your family in case the unthinkable happens.

What if we can not get out

Teach children t

o stay low to the ground. Plan two or three specific locations in the house where a person should go if they can not get out of the house. This way anyone who can get out can tell emergency personnel where to look if they need to go in to get them out.