Three
Simple
Steps
To
A
Safer
Home
Pop
Quiz:
Are
you
at
greater
risk
from
fire
in;
a)
A
high-rise
hotel
b)
A
house
c)
An
elementary
school
If
you
answered
(a),
you’re
mistaken.
High-rise
hotels
are
among
the
safest
structures
when
it
comes
to
fires
because
they
typically
have
advanced
built-in
fire
protection
features
such
as
smoke
detectors
and
fire
sprinklers
in
every
room.
If
you
answered
(c),
we
got
you
again.
Only
about
one
percent
of
U.S.
structure
fires
occur
in
educational
properties.
The
answer
is
(b).
You
are
at
greatest
risk
from
fire
in
your
own
home.
In
fact,
eight
out
of
10
fire
deaths
in
the
United
States
take
place
where
most
of
us
feel
safest
–
our
home.
Although
that’s
alarming,
according
to
the
nonprofit
National
Fire
Protection
Association
(NFPA),
you
need
not
fall
victim
to
fire.
“There
are
three
simple
steps
that
everyone
can
take
to
make
their
home
safer,”
says
Meri-Kappy,
NFPA’s
vice
president
for
public
education.
“The
steps
are
easy,
but
the
trick
is
to
convince
people
that
fire
isn’t
someone
else’s
problem;
it
could
actually
happen
to
them”.
According
to
NFPA,
every
household
should
have
working
smoke
alarms
on
each
level
of
the
home,
and
outside
each
sleeping
area.
Test
alarms
at
least
once
a
month
and
replace
batteries
at
least
once
a
year.
Replace
smoke
alarms
that
are
10
years
old
or
older.
Develop
and
physically
practice
a
home
fire
drill
with
all
occupants
at
least
twice
a
year.
Identify
two
ways
out
of
each
room
and
choose
a
meeting
place
outside
where
you
will
wait
for
the
fire
department.
And
regularly
conduct
a
hunt
for
home
safety
hazards.
Search
for
dangers
such
as
fireplaces
without
screens,
unattended
candles,
or
overflowing
ashtrays,
and
correct
the
hazards
immediately.
FIRE
SAFETY
Fall
and
winter
are
the
most
dangerous
time
of
year
for
home
fire
safety.
Home
fires
and
fire
death
rates
peak
during
this
time
of
year
because
of
increased
use
of
alternative
heating
systems
such
as
space
heaters
and
fireplaces.
According
to
the
National
Fire
Protection
Agency
(NFPA),
heating
equipment
has
resulted
in
49,200
home
fires,
388
deaths,
1,445
injuries
and
$515
million
in
property
damage.
Additionally,
increased
use
of
electrical
power
to
support
holiday
lights
and
improperly
caring
for
live
Christmas
trees
also
contributes
to
higher
fire
and
fire
death
rates.
The
U.S.
Fire
Administration
(USFA)
estimates
that
fires
during
the
holiday
season
injure
2,000
people
and
cause
more
than
$500
million
in
damage.
As
residents
begin
to
winterize
their
homes
this
fall,
it
is
vitally
important
that
they
consider
placing
fire
extinguishers
on
every
level
of
the
home
and
examining
those
already
in
place
to
assure
quality
performance.
Furthermore,
the
NFPA
states
that
residential
fire
extinguishers
should
be
replaced
every
12
years
as
well.
“Residential
fire
extinguishers
can
be
an
important
resource
in
a
fire
response
plan
because
they
provide
homeowners
with
a
means
of
containing
fires
before
they
get
out
of
control,”
said
Roy
Marshall,
Executive
Director
of
The
Residential
Fire
Safety
Institute.
“Current
household
penetration
for
fire
extinguishers
is
76
percent,
however,
it
is
crucial
to
get
penetration
closer
to
100
percent
as
with
smoke
detectors.”
About
30
percent
of
home
fires
start
in
the
kitchen-more
than
any
other
place
in
the
home-and
more
than
50
percent
of
home
fire
deaths
occur
in
sleeping
areas,
according
to
NFPA.
To
help
reduce
the
risk
of
personal
injury
and
to
control
property
damage,
fire
extinguishers
should
be
placed
in
kitchens,
bedrooms
and
in
other
areas
such
as
hallways
and
garages
for
quick
access.
Fire
extinguishers
should
be
inspected
regularly
to
ensure
that
they
are
properly
charged
and
available
when
needed.
Those
that
have
low
pressure,
are
damaged
or
corroded,
or
haven’t
been
used
within
12
years
should
be
replaced
with
a
multipurpose
fire
extinguisher.
There
are
three
fire
extinguisher
ratings-A,
B
and
C-and
each
has
an
intended
use.
Extinguishers
with
an
A
rating
work
against
fires
involving
combustible
materials
such
as
wood,
cloth
or
paper;
a
B
rating
indicates
effectiveness
against
fires
caused
by
flammable
liquids
such
as
grease;
and
C
is
intended
for
use
in
electrical
fires.
Because
time
is
of
the
essence
when
battling
a
home
fire,
it
may
be
safer
to
install
fire
extinguishers
with
an
A-B-C
rating
throughout
your
home
to
be
sure
of
your
extinguisher’s
ability
to
put
out
or
contain
a
fire.
The
Kidde
Full
Home
Fire
Extinguisher
has
an
A-B-C
rating
and
is
available
at
hardware
and
home
centers
nationwide
and
costs
about
$10.
In
addition
to
proper
fire
extinguisher
placement,
families
can
stay
safe
when
the
cold
weather
arrives
by:
|
|
Making
sure
that
heating
equipment
is
inspected
and
cleaned
by
a
professional; |
|
|
Keeping
space
and
kerosene
heaters
at
least
three
feet
away
from
anything
that
can
burn.
According
to
the
Consumer
Product
Safety
Commission,
300
people
die
each
year
in
fires
started
by
heaters; |
|
|
Using
the
oven
and
range
for
food
preparation
only
and
not
as
a
heating
source
for
the
home; |
|
|
Refilling
the
stand
of
a
live
Christmas
tree
with
water
often.
Also
inspecting
holiday
lights
before
putting
them
up
is
recommended;
and |
|
|
Developing
a
fire
escape
plan
that
the
entire
family
is
familiar
with.
Fire
extinguishers
are
one
element
of
a
fire
response
plan
but
the
primary
element
is
a
safe
escape. |
To
help
reduce
the
risk
of
fire
damage,
extinguishers
should
be
placed
in
kitchens,
bedrooms
and
other
areas
for
quick
and
convenient
access. |
