Going into Winter everyone should go over with family a fire route to safety. Many families don’t ever prepare for fires in their home. Many have gone over hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters, however MOST fires are preventable!
Predict different routes from each possible way. If this door is trapped you would go this way, if not go this way. Teach siblings that if they can’t reach each other that they need to find the meeting spot outside more importantly then finding each other.
Many fires can be avoided by doing occasion maintenance:
Check all electrical appliances, cords, and outlets
Are your electrical appliances in good condition, without loose or frayed cords or plugs?
Are your outlets overloaded with plugs from the TV, computer, printer, video game system, and stereo?
Are you overusing an extension cord?
Do the light fixtures in your home contain bulbs that are the correct wattage?
Does your home contain GFCIs (ground-fault circuit interrupters) and/or AFCIs (arc-fault circuit interrupters), which prevent electrical shock and fire by shutting off faulty circuits?
Less than 2 years ago my family lost our home from a fire that started in our cellar by a wood stove that got too hot and sparked a dry wood pile. It used the chimney walls to travel up and rip through the house. Had it been at night and not during the day. There is a good chance that we would have never gotten to my 6 month old at the time b/c we didn’t know a route then to get to him and my oldest would have never been able to get him out of the crib! The only life lost that day was our pet. Always remember to get out! Don’t go back in or stay in b/c you have some materialistic item that you need to rescue. it’s not worth it- EVEN IF ITS NOT REPLACEABLE!!! Your life is more important than that pile of photos!
Do you know the insurance company we used told us that MOST fires actually start from electric blankets, portable heaters, and AUTOMATIC COFFEE MACHINES!
So take some time this weekend to go over a fire route with your family, go through your house and check all your outlets, make sure you don’t have curtains to close to lights, etc. You never know who or what you could be saving!
Here is a great site to use for with your kids!
Here is a great site that goes over almost every prevention you could think of!
Thanks,Jenne! We as a homeschool group are required *and I agree* to hold at least two fire drills in the house and use preventive care in the house in a case of a fire. It’s part of our responsibilities and a part of their grade to participate.:)
I am glad you have a home now two years later and find that *yes, indeed!* life is more important that material goods. 🙂