Safety in The Home
If You Can’t Take The Heat
Have you ever thought about how safe your home is? Most people don’t think about it until something happens, then it is too late. Practicing good safety habits in and around your home can save precious time in an emergency and possibly save lives.
This article is going to focus on fire safety in and around your home. Here are some things to think about and take care of before it is too late.
Is your wiring up to code and is it adequate for the size of your house? Maybe you have added on or have bought new appliances. Do you have too many things plugged into an outlet or extension cord? Are your wall outlets grounded and do they have safety caps on them? Safety caps are a must if you have small children. Children like to put small things in the outlets.
Do you have smoke alarms or carbon monoxide detectors in your home? In most states now, you can’t sell your home without them. Have your family practice fire drills so they know what to do when they hear the sound. Some kids sleep right through the noise, so plan for them needing help escaping. Your smoke alarms should be tested monthly. You also should have fire extinguishers in your home. At the very least there should be one in the kitchen, the laundry room and in the garage.
Make sure your water temperature on your hot water heater is set to 120 degrees. Water that is too hot can harm a small child. Test the water before placing your child in the tub and stay close to them while they are in the tub.
Candles are popular because of their pleasant smell. They can also be hazardous. Only burn candles when there is an adult in the room and place them high so that kids can’t reach them. Be sure to blow them out when you leave the room. Flameless candles are on the market now and some are scented. Try these out they are much safer.
Where do you keep your matches or lighters? Keep them in a safe place and away from kids. It’s in the news all the time about a child starting a fire from using matches. Children are curious about everything. Take the opportunity away from them.
The kitchen is a dangerous place for fires. If you are cooking, roll up your sleeves. Turn the handle of the pans toward the back of the stove. Know how to put a fire out if you should have one. Be aware of where children are when you are cooking. They like to know what adults are doing.
Lastly, if a child is home alone, make sure they have a plan and they know what steps to follow if something should happen. They can call 911 and go to a neighbor’s house. Remember, the time to plan is not after there is an accident. If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.