How to prepare your home against fires
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November is upon us and with it comes some much appreciated warm weather, as the weather improves it is a good time to start thinking about the impending dry summer and the possibility of house and bush fires.
I am sure we have all heard about fire plans and precautions and now is the time to start putting them into practise.
Most home fires are avoidable and here are some handy tips to consider whether your residence is rural or urban:
Smoke alarms, make sure you have an adequate number of working smoke alarms in your home. The Building Code of Australia for new homes requires that there be a minimum of one alarm outside all sleeping areas, and at least one alarm on each level of the home. It is recommended that you check your smoke alarms monthly and change your batteries annually or as required. Remember that only a working smoke alarm saves lives!
Have a fire plan and sit down with your family/household members to discuss this together, a fire is a traumatic and scary experience and even more so when you are worrying about not only your own safety but also those of your household.
Exit strategy, Having a fire plan is mute if you cannot physically exit your home! Make sure all of your doors, windows and locks are well maintained. If you have a door that sticks then have someone in your home or a professional fix this, if you have deadlocks that require a key then make sure your keys are accessible and in the lock when you are home OR simply change your locks to something more practical. Don't fool yourself that you will be ok, deadlocks have killed many people by trapping them inside their home. If you require any maintenance on your doors, windows or locks please click here to find 3 quotes.
Remove debris, after a year of harsh Australian winds and weather it is easy for our property to need a good tidy up. Check your Gutters are clean from any debris such as leaves and branches or an even better method is prevention,why not have a professional install gutter protection?
If you have let your garden go over the colder months then now is the time to pull out the mower, cut back any overgrown bushes and/or trees and remove any fallen branches.
Water, we all know what a crucial role water takes in a fire so don’t leave yourself dry in an emergency. Know where your water is whether it be a rainwater tank, swimming pool or a dam and have access to this, if you have a hose or sprinkler system leave them connected for fast and easy access.
Electrical wires and appliances may be faulty. Have a licenced and insured Electrician from Service Central check your wiring and if required install a safety switch. If you have old appliances or frayed cords it may be worthwhile having these checked also. If you ever smell burning or see smoke from an appliance switch it off immediately and pull the plug, it is important not to use the appliance again until it is given the ok by a qualified professional.
Cooking may seem a safe task and it is often thought that the saying to never leave your stove unattended a pretty obvious one yet it happens year and year again. After a long days work, you are tired and have kids running around in the background, you have been waiting for someone important to call and may be cooking your dinner on the stove; the phone rings, you sit your tea towel down and turn around for 10 seconds to find your phone and answer it, 10 seconds is all a fire needs to ignite and spread. All you needed to do is turn the knob off until you can return undivided attention to cooking. Never leave cooking unattended even for a few seconds
For added protection in your home it is recommended that you have a fire extinguisher and fire blanket easily accessible and make sure all the household members know where they are stored.
By taking all of these simple precautions you could be saving not only your life, but your family and even friends and neighbours!
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