According to the most recent study by the National Fire Protection Association, about 82 percent of all civilian fire deaths result from a fire in the home. The same study also found that a civilian fire death occurs every two hours and 23 minutes. To help curb those startling figures, Mr. Handyman offers advice in recognition of National Fire Prevention Week taking place October 7 – 13.
National Fire Prevention Week (NFPW) always falls on the week of October 9th to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres.
Todd Recknagel, president of the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Mr. Handyman International, offers the following tips:
Prevention
* Keep matches and lighters out of sight and reach of children.
* Never leave a candle unattended and keep flames at least three feet away from curtains, furniture or other flammable materials.
* Keep fuel or liquid that can catch on fire, like gasoline, propane, or kerosene, in a safe container outside of the home in a garage or shed.
* Discard frayed or cracked electrical cords.
* Clean your dryer vent annually.
Detection
* Make sure you have smoke alarms on every level (even the basement).
* Check to make sure all smoke alarm batteries work. Then, check again every six months. Remember, if your smoke alarm is more than 10 years old, replace it.
* Mount smoke alarms high on walls or ceilings. Smoke rises!
* Never remove a battery or disarm a smoke alarm.
Suppression
* Keep a fire extinguisher handy in fire-prone areas, like the kitchen and garage, for small fires. Make sure to keep it away from the stove, which may make it inaccessible during a grease fire.
* No matter how small the fire, if you can’t extinguish it immediately, get out!
Escape
* Identify two SAFE ways out of every room in the house. Draw these exits on a map and place a copy in every room.
* Practice fire escape drills twice a year.
* Pick an outside meeting place where everyone can gather after they’ve escaped.