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Your Fire Safety Tool Kit
Whilst it’s something we never want to think about, we know we must be prepared to tackle a small fire that may break out in the home at some point in our lives. A small fire can quickly develop into a devastating blaze that could potentially destroy the building and anyone that might be in it. To help you out, we have compiled a list of things you should include in your personal fire safety tool kit at home. These items could very well save your life should disaster strike.
Working Fire Alarms And Smoke Detectors
You need to have a fire alarm and smoke detector on every floor of your house and in the critical areas where fires are most likely to originate. Ensure that you install them near wood stoves or fireplaces, in the kitchen and near the bedrooms, so that you can hear the alarms once they go off. Ensure that you check and change the batteries regularly to make sure that they are always in good working order. Whilst the fire alarms and smoke detectors do not provide a physical protective measure, they provide you with an early warning system to help you get everyone to safety and deal with the fire if possible.
Fire Extinguishers
These are a critical part of any fire safety tool kit and every home should have them. Ensure that you keep a multi-purpose fire extinguisher near to those areas with high fire risk such as the kitchen, laundry room, near wood stoves or in a garage workshop. For the kitchen, you need a small and easy to move fire extinguisher since you will most likely be dealing with small oil or grease fires. Larger extinguishers are more appropriate for workshops, laundry rooms and garages. You also need to keep a larger multi-purpose extinguisher in a centralized location of your house that is also easy to reach and ensure that everyone in your household knows how to use it.
Fire Escape Ladders
A fire escape ladder is probably something you have never thought of before. In case of a fire, the hallway outside a second story bedroom might be blocked off as well as the stairway. To make sure that you are able to get out of the building safely you need to get a foldable or rope ladder for every room, and ensure that everybody knows how to use them. For children or vulnerable adults ensure that you assign either an older child or adult to help them in case of a fire breakout. This works especially well for those who cannot throw a mattress out their window – for strength or space reasons, since it allows them to escape safely with no risk of injury.
Fire Blankets
These are an important inclusion in your fire safety tool kit. You will normally find fire blankets in kitchens and they are vital in combating small fires to prevent them from spreading. Ensure that you have one hanging up in a convenient place and that you have familiarized yourself with how to use it.
A Fire Escape Plan
Ensure that all members of your household know what to do as well as how to get out in case a fire breaks out. Everyone should memorize all of their options and know which one is the best bet in case one is blocked off. You should also organize a meeting point for everyone outside such as the end of the driveway or any other landmark that is a safe distance from the house. To enable your children learn it, have them draw a floor plan of the house and map their escape routes out, then walk them through to ensure they work. Ensure that all the members of your family know their job in case of a fire – what to do if they need to help anybody out and to never go back into the house once they have escaped.
