These Steps May Prevent a Fire

12/7/2011

Tags: emergencies | fire damage | tips

Did you know that half of all fires caused by heating equipment are reported during December, January and February? According to the National Fire Protection Association, Fire Analysis and Research Division, in just one year (2009), 58,900 fires involved heating equipment. Those fires resulted in 480 deaths, 1,520 injuries and $1.1 billion in direct property damage. Here's what you can do:

#1: Obey the 3-foot rule.
Keep all household items at least 3 feet away from the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.

#2: Set up a "kid-free zone."
Kids love to play, but unfortunately many turn oblivious to their surroundings. Help them by maintaining a 3-foot “kid-free zone” around all open fires and space heaters.

#3: Never use an oven to heat your home.
Ovens are built to cook food, not as open space heaters.

#4: Turn portable heaters off when leaving a room or going to bed.
Space heaters were found to be responsible for 79% of the deaths, 66% of the injuries and 52% of the associated direct property damage caused by home heating equipment fires for the years 2005 to 2009. (See chart based on NFPA research.) For this reason, Advanced Restoration Services recommends using stationary or portable space heaters with extreme caution.

#5: Use good fireplace protocol.
Use a sturdy fireplace screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Also, allow ashes to completely cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.

#6: Maintain your chimney and heating equipment.
Clean and inspect heating equipment and chimneys every year. Use a qualified professional to do it.

#7: Test smoke alarms monthly.
Smoke alarms save lives. So, check the batteries and replace them if necessary.

Although we have well-trained, certified technicians ready to help 24 hours a day with your fire restoration needs, we’d prefer to help you prevent a fire in the first place.

For more information, see www.nfpa.org/education.