Fires are the most common disaster in the United States and are often extremely destructive to homes and businesses. Whether it's a single-family house fire or a large scale wildfire, structures can be lost within minutes to this fast moving, unpredictable disaster. In the end, the time spent educating yourself on how to prepare for and prevent fires can protect your family, home and property.
Preparing for fires in one of the first and most important steps that a resident of San Diego or Southern California can take. Wildfires can strike suddenly, spreading over miles in very short times with heavy wind. While wildfires are a real fear, the most common disaster in Southern California is actually residential home fires.
Losing a house to a fire is just as traumatic for the family who calls it “home” as if it had been lost during a large-scale, highly-publicize natural disaster, but there are steps that families can take year-round to minimize the risk of fire in their home, mitigate the tragedy and prevent loss of life.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a residential fire occurred every 77 seconds in the United States during 2004. There were 410,500 residential structure fires resulting in 3,190 fire-related deaths and 14,175 injuries in the home.
Many Home Fire Tragedies are Preventable
Many tragedies can be prevented if families take a few simple precautions, such as having working smoke alarms on every level of their homes and having family fire escape plans in place to help get everyone out of the house safely. NFPA data for 2004 indicates that four of every 10 house fires occur in homes without smoke alarms. Where fires were reported in homes that did have smoke alarms, in one-quarter of homes, the alarms didn’t work due to dead batteries or other problems.
Further, a recent poll conducted by the Red Cross found that 59 percent of the public had not made an emergency plan, which means there is still much to be done to educate the public about these simple preventative measures.
Simple Steps to Make Your Home Fire Safe
- Smoke alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each additional level of your home. If people sleep with doors closed, install smoke alarms inside sleeping areas, too. Use the test button to check each smoke alarm once a month. When necessary, replace batteries immediately. Replace all batteries at least once a year. Smoke alarms become less sensitive over time. Replace your smoke alarms every ten years.
- Consider having one or more working fire extinguishers in your home. Get training from the fire department in how to use them.
- Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your home.
- Determine at least two ways to escape from every room of your home. Consider escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second or third floor. Learn how to use them and store them near the window.
- Select a location outside your home where everyone would meet after escaping. Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
Safety Tips in the event that a Fire Strikes Your Home
- Once you are out, stay out! Call the fire department from a neighbor’s home.
- If you see smoke or fire in your first escape route, use your second way out. If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to your exit. If you are escaping through a closed door, feel the door before opening it. If it is warm, use your second way out.
- If smoke, heat, or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with the door closed. Signal for help using a bright-colored cloth at the window. If there is a telephone in the room, call the fire department and tell them where you are.
Fires are the most common disaster in the United States and are often extremely destructive to homes and businesses. Whether it's a single-family house fire or a large scale wildfire, structures can be lost within minutes to this fast moving, unpredictable disaster. In the end, the time spent educating yourself on how to prepare for and prevent fires can protect your family, home and property.
Preparing for fires in one of the first and most important steps that a resident of San Diego or Southern California can take. Wildfires can strike suddenly, spreading over miles in very short times with heavy wind. While wildfires are a real fear, the most common disaster in Southern California is actually residential home fires.
Losing a house to a fire is just as traumatic for the family who calls it “home” as if it had been lost during a large-scale, highly-publicize natural disaster, but there are steps that families can take year-round to minimize the risk of fire in their home, mitigate the tragedy and prevent loss of life.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a residential fire occurred every 77 seconds in the United States during 2004. There were 410,500 residential structure fires resulting in 3,190 fire-related deaths and 14,175 injuries in the home.
Many Home Fire Tragedies are Preventable
Many tragedies can be prevented if families take a few simple precautions, such as having working smoke alarms on every level of their homes and having family fire escape plans in place to help get everyone out of the house safely. NFPA data for 2004 indicates that four of every 10 house fires occur in homes without smoke alarms. Where fires were reported in homes that did have smoke alarms, in one-quarter of homes, the alarms didn’t work due to dead batteries or other problems.
Further, a recent poll conducted by the Red Cross found that 59 percent of the public had not made an emergency plan, which means there is still much to be done to educate the public about these simple preventative measures.
Simple Steps to Make Your Home Fire Safe
- Smoke alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each additional level of your home. If people sleep with doors closed, install smoke alarms inside sleeping areas, too. Use the test button to check each smoke alarm once a month. When necessary, replace batteries immediately. Replace all batteries at least once a year. Smoke alarms become less sensitive over time. Replace your smoke alarms every ten years.
- Consider having one or more working fire extinguishers in your home. Get training from the fire department in how to use them.
- Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your home.
- Determine at least two ways to escape from every room of your home. Consider escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second or third floor. Learn how to use them and store them near the window.
- Select a location outside your home where everyone would meet after escaping. Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
Safety Tips in the event that a Fire Strikes Your Home
- Once you are out, stay out! Call the fire department from a neighbor’s home.
- If you see smoke or fire in your first escape route, use your second way out. If you must exit through smoke, crawl low under the smoke to your exit. If you are escaping through a closed door, feel the door before opening it. If it is warm, use your second way out.
- If smoke, heat, or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with the door closed. Signal for help using a bright-colored cloth at the window. If there is a telephone in the room, call the fire department and tell them where you are.