Fire Safety Tips to Keep Your Family Safe

Did you know that in 2021, there were approximately 353,000 residential fires reported?

Prevent home fires with general safety tips and helpful home and fire prevention products.

Create a Fire Safety and Escape Plan

When an emergency like a house fire strikes, having an exit strategy ensures that everyone makes it out safely. Every home and family should create a fire safety plan that works for them and their needs.

You can start by gathering everyone who lives at your home to discuss the best exit strategy and plan the best place to meet outside. When planning, keep in mind that the American Red Cross recommends that you include two exit plans out of every room. Make sure to practice your fire safety plan at least twice a year to ensure that everyone is comfortable and prepared. You should aim to have everyone out of the home within one to two minutes.

Fire Safety for Families with Kids

It’s important that even children in your home know how to call 911 and what a smoke alarm sounds like and what to do if they hear one. Children of all ages should be taught the following to be prepared in case of emergency:

• If a doorknob is hot, opening the door can be dangerous so they need to find an alternative exit.

• If their clothes catch on fire, they need to “stop, drop, and roll.”

• They should trust the fire-fighters and never hide under the bed or in the closet if there is a fire in the home.

• If they see smoke, they need to crawl on their hands and knees.

Avoiding Fire Hazards at Home

Taking the right extra precautions can help you avoid ever even needing to use your fire escape plan.

• Check Your Smoke Alarm Every Month:

  • The Red Cross recommends installing smoke detectors on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside any sleeping areas. To ensure they are functioning properly, the Red Cross also recommends testing them monthly and replacing the batteries if they are not working.

• Give Candles, Space Heaters and Fireplaces Space:

  • Make sure to take the necessary precautions to ensure that these items are not near items like curtains or other flammable items like paper, matches, bedding, carpets, furniture or anything that risks accidentally covering or coming in contact with the flame. Try to keep children and pets at least three feet away from any fire hazard. If you are using a space heater, Plug power cords directly into outlets - never into an extension cord.

  • Leaving items like lit candles, space heaters and fireplaces unattended can easily put your home at risk. Before you leave a room, make sure that everything that could cause a safety hazard is either snuffed out or unplugged.

• Avoiding Electrical Fires

  • Ensuring all electrical outlets are tight and secure on the wall is an excellent start to preventing electrical fires. Loose-fitted plugs can be a shock or fire hazard so if you notice any of the wall plates are broken or missing, put new wall plates over the outlets so there are no exposed electrical wiring. You should also cover any unused outlets with protective covers, especially if you have young children to prevent them from potentially electrocuting or injuring themselves or your home.

  • Overloading an outlet with too many plugs can cause an electrical fire. Use a surge protector to protect electrical plugs and never plug in more devices than the power bar allows. Purchasing the correct extension cords or power bars with surge protection and overload protection can save your devices from overheating and starting a fire in your home.

Installing Smoke Detectors

Installing smoke detectors can be make or break when it comes to getting everyone out of the home in time in the event of a fire. At Brinks Home™, we make it easier to ensure that your home is properly monitored for all safety concerns including fire and fire safety concerns. The following devices can help your household to be alerted, get out, and get help as soon as possible.

• Smoke Detectors

  • Designed to sense changes in temperature or smoke, our smoke detector will immediately sound an alarm and our professional monitoring alerts 911 for you. Just a burnt dinner? Cancel a false alarm instantly in your mobile app.

• Carbon Dioxide Monitor

  • Carbon dioxide is highly toxic to human beings and is one of the most common causes of death in house fires. Ordinary carbon monoxide detectors offer limited protection. You’re safer with a detector from Brinks Home that connects directly to your system and can inform you and emergency services if any danger is present in your home in real time.

• FireFighter™ Wireless Sensor

  • Already have smoke detectors? Easily connect them to your system with a FireFighter™ wireless sensor. When a smoke detector goes off, the sensor sends a signal to your control panel and our response center for immediate assistance.

Prep your home and learn more about protecting your home from fires and other disasters with Brinks Home Life Safety Devices.