Fire Prevention and Safety Tips That Can Save Your Life

Remember it’s critical to stay low when escaping a fire. Standing up can be deadly as heat and toxic gasses fill a burning room from the top down. It’s also good habit to sleep with bedroom doors closed. This slows or prevents the spread of a fire as well as toxic gasses and smoke.

Smoke detectors are a must
The NFPA reports that roughly 70 percent of home fire deaths result from fires in homes without smoke alarms or working smoke alarms. Since one-quarter of all fires start during typical sleeping hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and more than one-half of all fire related deaths occur during this periods, a working smoking detector might be the only thing that averts tragedy.

Smoke detectors do wear out. If the ones you have are more than five years old, it might be time for a new one. Newer models also have updated features that you may want to consider, such as photoelectric sensors that are more sensitive to slow, smoldering fires. For about $35, dual sensor detectors are also available that combine the older ionic sensors which “see” fire with photoelectric sensors for greatest protection

Another convenient feature for kitchen areas is a reset or “silencer” button. This allows you to shut down the detector for approximately 10 minutes during a nuisance alarm, like burned toast, then goes back to full alert. Resetting your detector is a much better idea than removing the battery, which you may then forget to replace.

Hardwired detectors, those wired directly to the home’s electrical system, can also wear out and need to be regularly checked. Check that the red light status light is flashing at regular intervals and use the “test” button to make sure the unit is still working.

As the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense. Preparing, planning, and practicing for fires ahead of time can mean the difference between serious injury or death, and surviving one of life’s most common tragedies.

Note: Tom Kraeutler is the Home Improvement Editor for AOL and host of The Money Pit, a nationally syndicated home improvement radio program. To find a local radio station, download the show’s podcast or sign-up for Tom’s free weekly e-newsletter, visit the program’s website at www.moneypit.com.