The majority of deaths that occur in fires happen in homes that do not have currently working fire alarms. For this reason, Iowa Fire Control experts recommend that fire alarms are checked on a regular basis. Ideally, fire alarms should be checked at least once each month. If a fire alarm is not working, the batteries should be changed immediately. This is never something that can be put off until later, even if there are other working fire alarms in the home. There should be at least one fire alarm for each level of the home. Ideally, there will be an alarm just outside every person’s sleeping area so that the whole family is well covered in case of a fire.
The entire family needs to know about fire safety, and a big part of this is having a fire safety plan. Train children to recognize the sound of the fire alarms, and teach them how to respond when they hear them. The family should have an immediate plan of action when the fire alarm sounds. This will usually involve meeting in a safe place outside the home. The fire escape plan should be practiced repeatedly with the family until everyone is able to vacate the home in two minutes or less. While this may seem to be an incredibly narrow window of time, it is important to remember that fire spreads very quickly and the time may indeed be quite limited when it begins. Don’t forget to teach kids how to call 9-1-1 as soon as they are safe.
Teach the whole family the “Stop, Drop, and Roll” rule of fire safety. Essentially, this means that if any part of the body or clothing catches fire, an immediate response is needed. Rolling can quickly extinguish the flames in the safest way possible. Another important part of fire safety is keeping a close check on all fire sources. Before leaving the home, always check the stove and any other sources of fire. Using these smart safety tips can be life-saving. Need to know more about Iowa Fire Control tips? Click Here to learn more now.
