10 Key Fire Safety Tips

9/28/2018 (Permalink)

Before and After pictures of fire damage.

According to statistical data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in 2012 on estimated 1,375,500 fires were responded to in the United States. These blazes caused 2,855 deaths and 16,500 civilian injuries while costing more than $12.4 billion in damage.

Though some fires are unavoidable acts of nature or unpredictable accidents, many fires in the home and workplace are avoidable. The following tips, courtesy of the NFPA, can help reduce the likelihood of a fire in your business or home.

1. Watch your cooking - Stay in the kitchen if you are frying, grilling or broiling food. Never allow young children around the stove or oven, especially if they are not closely attended.
2. Give space heaters space - Keep space heaters at least three feet from anything that can burn.
3. Smoke outside - If you must smoke inside, have a sturdy, deep ashtray. Never smoke in bed.
4. Keep matches and lighters out of reach - Keep matches and lighters in high cabinets, preferably under a hild lock.
5. Inspect electrical cords - Replace cords that are cracked, damaged, have broken plugs or have loose connections.
6. Be careful when using candles - Keep candles at least one foot from anyting that can burn. Blow them out before you leave the room or go to sleep.
7. Have a fire escape plan - Make a fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year.
8. Install smoke alarms - Install alarms on every level of your office or home and inside bedrooms. Interconnect them so they all sound at once. 
9. Test smoke alarms - Test alarms once per month. Replace batteries once per year or as needed.
10. Install sprinklers - Sprinklers can help maintain and sometimes even extinguish fires, giving your local fire department a better chance of saving your property.

SERVPRO of South Jordan / North Draper have handled dozens of smoke and fire claims. With our loarge loss capabilities we can handle jobs from a stove fire to rebuilding an entire home or office lost to fire damage.

You can save your home from a lot damage by putting aside a little bit of time to do these ten steps. We've seen a lot of damages that could be avoided and we hope these help in keeping your home safe.