There are more than 350,000 home fires in the U.S. every year. These fires account for approximately 3,500 deaths, and 15,000 serious injuries (Courtley, 2012). Similar to building fires (see previous post) home fires are caused primarily by unattended cooking, space heaters, and candles. Thinking about causes it occurred to me some other risks like leaving on curling irons/straighteners; I know sometimes when I get ready early in the morning I have to remind myself to turn off/unplug these appliances. Unlike forest fires which may sometimes be beneficial to the ecosystem (but can also be very destructive) fires in homes are almost always devastating and cause extensive damage. It is important to take precautionary measures to avoid fires, as well as being prepared and educated in the appropriate action if you do find yourself in this type of emergency situation.
It is extremely important to make sure you have smoke alarms installed in your home, and you check them regularly. Using the appropriate tools that have been developed for safety reasons is imperative. It is helpful to check and change smoke alarm batteries at a designated time like when the clocks have to be changed in the spring and fall. Setting a designated time will help you to remember, and create a routine.
As with buildings, you should practice non-emergency evacuations in your home regularly. The difference here is that in buildings or offices, these evacuations are not scheduled and you must create and follow through with them on your own. Being familiar with an escape route can mean life or death in the case of a fire. I know that when I was younger, in my house we had a plan that if anything were to happen in the house and we all had to get out, we would meet at the cherry tree in the front yard. We practiced this and knew that in an emergency situation there was an exact plan of what to do. Doing this helps provide a sense of security, and practicing it helps you to develop a sort of mental shortcut so that in an emergency you can use your mental capacities for other things.
In the case of a fire, if you must cross it you should douse all of your clothing with as much water as possible, and remove any clothing made of synthetic fiber (Courtley, 2012). Another effective technique if you are faced with an emergency and catch fire is to STOP, DROP & ROLL. Yes, we’ve all heard this saying, and for good reason. The repetition of this phrase that we hear as children has hopefully made it so that if we do catch fire, it is almost a subconscious reaction.
Facing any emergency situation is scary, but being prepared greatly enhances our chances of surviving.
References:
Courtley, C. (2012). SEAL Survival Guide. New York, NY: Gallery Books
think safety blog 