Fire Prevention Week is celebrating its 100th Anniversary this October! The week, which is dedicated to raising awareness and reducing risk of fire-related death and injury, will run from October 9 – 15th.
“Fire Won’t Wait. Plan Your Escape.”
This year’s theme for Fire Prevention Week is “Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.” The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA – https://www.nfpa.org/) chose this year’s theme to address challenges that remain in fire safety prevention. According to NFPA, the home is where people are most at risk of dying from a fire, despite the fact that home is where people feel the safest. Unfortunately, this sense of safety causes people to put their guard down instead of taking more proactive measures to protect their home and family.
Today’s Home Fires Burn Faster Than Ever
Modern homes are quicker to burn due to lighter weight and cheaper materials compared to older homes. You may have as little as two minutes to evacuate your home safely in the event of a fire. Your ability to get you and your family out of the house depends greatly on early warning from smoke alarms and advanced planning.
According to a study conducted by the U.S. Fire Service, structure fires increases during the wintertime months. In an average year, heating is the cause of 17% of structure fires, but that increases to 27% during the winter months.
Home Fire Safety Checklist
Putting together a checklist will help you and your family be ready in the event of a fire. A few key things to consider:
- Create an escape plan and make sure it considers the needs of all family members, including those with physical or neurological disabilities.
- Smoke alarms should be installed in all bedrooms and on every level of your home. Smoke alarms should be interconnected so they all sound off together.
- Check your smoke alarm sound and batteries to make sure everything is in working order.
- Know your exits and at least two ways out of every room.
- Have a meeting place designated so you can make sure everyone is safe and accounted for.
Practice, Practice, Practice
In addition to the measures outlined above, it is always a good idea to practice a home fire drill at least twice a year. The more you practice, the more prepared you and your family will be in the event of a fire. Fires move quickly so the faster you are able to exit the home, the better your chances for survival. Practice is especially important if you have children in the home.
Talk To Your Kids
Preparing your kids doesn’t have to be scary, but it is critical. Express the importance of knowing their exits, staying low to the ground to avoid smoke inhalation, and how to get to your designated meeting place (consider that your meeting place should be a safe location that is accessible at nighttime as well). Draw a map of your home with evacuation routes and practice them with your kids. You can also use these fun activities to help make the discussion less stressful.
Check Your Homeowners Insurance Policy
Inflation has caused prices of just about everything to go up, including the cost of building materials. This increase in costs means your current homeowners insurance coverage may be lacking and insufficient to cover the cost to rebuild your home in the event of a total loss. Make sure your planning includes protecting your family after a fire as well.
Contact an Independent Insurance Agent at Brooks, Todd & McNeil
Our independent agents can review your current homeowners insurance policy or help you with a new policy. Call us at 800.448.4567 and our dedicated team will make sure you have the coverage you need.