October is Fire Prevention Month

Are you prepared in case of a fire in your home? More than 4000 people die in house fires each year and approximately 25,000 are injured. October is fire prevention month, which serves as a reminder that taking a few safety precautions can be a matter of life and death.  Here are a few fire safety tips and precautions:

Check your smoke detectors – Every home should have at least one working smoke detector and preferably have one on each floor of your home and next to bedrooms. Check them monthly to ensure that the batteries are working properly.

Plan your escape route—Plan an escape route and do an occasional fire drill. Everyone in your household should know and understand what to do if there’s a fire in your house. Make sure you have more than one exit point should one exit be blocked. Create a safe meeting place outside side where you will all meet up.

Alternate heaters—If you must use portable heaters, ensure that you keep the area around them clear.  Keep combustible items at least three feet away, if not more. Have your chimney cleaned yearly and use fire screens to keep fire in the fireplace.

Have your furnace cleaned and checked every year.

Home fire safety sprinklers—When home fire sprinklers are used along with working smoke alarms, your chances of survival are greatly increased. Sprinklers can extinguish residential fires in less than one minute. In addition to being affordable, home sprinkler systems can increase property value and lower insurance rates.

Oven and stove safety—Never use the oven or stove to heat your home. This is a fire hazard and can also cause carbon monoxide poisoning with a gas stove or oven. Wear tight-fitted clothing while cooking to avoid catching on fire.

For more information on fire safety and prevention visit the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance.