With winter right around the corner, our schedule has been full of cleaning and system checks. We’ve been busy helping our valued customers, like you, prepare their homes to be nice and toasty. During our cleaning and system checks, fire safety is at the top of our minds.
November is often a time when we light extra candles for the holidays, bring out our space heaters for that extra boost of warmth, and start using our fireplaces more. We want to remind you of some life-saving fire safety tips to keep you and your family safe.
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Time is of the essence when talking about residential fires. A smoke alarm can give you an advanced warning, gaining you valuable extra minutes, especially if you are sleeping if a fire occurs. Carbon monoxide is odorless, so if something with your furnace went awry, having a detector is life-saving.
Make sure to test yours frequently and change the batteries at least twice a year. A good time to change them at Daylight Savings Time. If you haven’t checked your detector’s batteries yet this season, do us a favor, and put in fresh batteries today. If ever you are in doubt, call us, we will gladly help you out.
Fire Extinguisher
Keep at least one fire extinguisher in your home. Since grease fires are a common reason houses burn, your kitchen is a great place to keep it. Make sure everyone in your household knows where it is and how to use it. A fire extinguisher does have a shelf life, so if it has been years since you’ve purchased yours, pull it out and see if it is still good. If it’s too old, you may want to buy a new one. Our feeling is that it’s best to have one on hand to be safe and hope to never have to use it.
Have a Plan
Have a clear plan of action in case of a fire. This is extremely important if you have children or elderly in your home. They need to have a clear plan of what to do and where to go. Rehearse your plan twice a year to keep it fresh in everyone’s minds. Be prepared, not scared.
Once outside, stay outside. Teach everyone in your household to never go back in to get something. Have a designated spot to meet if ever there is a fire, go there, and stay.
If you have a second story in your home, check into window ladders at your local home goods store. They are affordable and could save your life.
If you live in a rural area, make sure your fire dues are up to date and you know which fire department is coming to your home.
Safety Smarts
- Keep candles, space heaters, lighters, and matches where children cannot play with them.
- Teach children fire prevention safety at a young age and remind them of what to do if a fire were to break out, including how to call 911 and what to tell them.
- If there is a fire in your house, close the doors. Never open a door without testing it for heat. Depriving a fire of oxygen will slow it down.
- Get down low. If your house is on fire, stay as low as possible to avoid smoke inhalation. Crawl to safety, outside.
Hopefully, you’ll never experience a house fire. Being prepared is much better than being scared. Having a plan of action can help you and everyone in your household get out to safety. We are honored and pleased to help keep your heating systems in tip-top shape. If ever you need service, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.
We are thankful to have such wonderful customers like you! We wish you a wonderfully warm and safe Thanksgiving.
P.S. For more fire prevention and preparedness info, be sure to click here to watch some videos from the American Red Cross.
