LocalNet360- Cleaning Your Home after a Fire in Your home Fires destroy billions of dollars of property in the United States and Canada every year. There is a residential fire every 84 seconds. Last year, there were almost 400,000 fires in the United States causing approximately $8 million dollars of property loss. Fire In Your Home-What should you know? While some fires are a total loss and there is nothing, or very little left to save, many fires are much smaller in scope. In some cases there is little structural damage to the residence because there were little or no flames, or because it was extinguished quickly. Even in those cases, however, there is usually significant smoke/soot damage to the home. And, when a portion of the structure has been destroyed, other portions may be structurally sound, and may be able to be restored. MAKE THIS HOLIDAY A SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON More fires happen from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day than any other time of the year. The Holiday Season is associated with family get-togethers, great family meals, and beautiful home decorations including lights, candles, and Christmas trees. According to the National Fire Protection Association, cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires, with Thanksgiving the peak day of the entire year. Nearly all cooking fires start with the ignition of food or cooking oil. Other items normally found in a kitchen help feed the fire - such as cabinets, paper, plastic, and curtains. In 2006, U.S. fire departments responded to 112,500 home structure fires. These fires caused nearly $7 billion in direct property damage.. As the holidays approach , it’s important to take precautions to ensure your family and your residence’s safety. CHRISTMAS TREES- PREVENTING FIRES DURING YOUR HOLIDAYS According to the National Fire Protection Association, Christmas trees (both real and artificial) are the first items ignited in an estimated 300 reported home structure fires per year. The U.S. Fire Administration offers the following fire safety tips for homeowners: †When decorating, be sure to use only lights rated for indoor use. †Replace any lights that have worn, frayed, or broken cords. †Always unplug Christmas tree lights before leaving the home or going to bed. †Keep live trees moist by watering daily. Do not purchase a tree that is dry. †Make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source. †Safely dispose of the tree when it begins dropping needles - dried out trees are highly flammable. †Make sure artificial trees are fire retardant. †Place the tree near an outlet to avoid running long extension cords. †Do not burn a Christmas tree in a fireplace. They are practically explosive. CANDLES- WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW? Candles around the home often invoke a warm holiday spirit, but they are a significant fire hazard - and a leading cause of residential fires! If you choose to set the mood with candles, use extreme caution. †Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that can burn. †Use sturdy, safe candleholders. †Never leave a burning candle unattended. Always extinguish candles when you leave a room. †Avoid using candles in bedrooms and sleeping area. †Be careful not to splatter wax when extinguishing a candle. †Always use a flashlight, not a candle for emergency lighting. †Consider using battery-operated flameless candles. HOLIDAY COOKING- BASIC FIRE PREVENTION Cooking fires accounted for 40% of all reported home fires. Twelve percent of the fires occurred when something flammable was left too close to cooking equipment. The Center for Disease Control and the National Fire Protection Association recommend: †Stay in the kitchen when cooking. If you must leave the kitchen for any reason, turn off the stovetop. †If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly. Remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you to check the food. †Wear short, close fitting sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can easily catch fire. †Never use water to extinguish a cooking fire. This is important enough to repeat: NEVER USE WATER TO EXTINGUISH A COOKING FIRE. WHAT ABOUT FIRES FROM OIL? †If oil starts to boil, remove it from the heat source. Simply lowering the heat will not reduce the temperature fast enough. †Be careful not to overfill pots with oil. You need room in the pan to add food. Overflowing oil can easily catch fire. †If oil catches fire, use an oven mitt to carefully slide a lid over the pan to smother the fire. †If oil has overflowed and is burning, get everyone out of the house and call the fire department from outside. WHAT ARE OTHER COMMON WAYS FOR HOME FIRES TO OCCUR? †Keep towels, bags, plastic, and food packaging away from flame and heat. †Never cook when under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or medication. †Install smoke alarms if a home does not have them. †Test smoke alarms monthly and replace batteries as needed. As you begin to learn about the dangers and prevention pertaining to Fire damage in your home or business, you will better understand what steps to take to protect your family, employees, pets, personal belongings, business records, equipment, building structure, landscaping and surrounding areas. More importantly, in addition to knowing what steps you can take to aide in prevention, many of these same techniques will help you to mitigate risks in case of an emergency related to fire, water or mold damages should they happen to you. As stated earlier in this series, the more you know about the dangers of Fire, Water and Mold, the better prepared you will be when disaster strikes and in addition to mitigating risks, you may one day help save the life of someone you love as well as yourself, because disaster can strike anyone, anywhere at any time and it is up to you to gain the knowledge to protect your family, home and business and know when to call the professionals who can only respond after the emergency strikes. Internet Marketing by LocalNet360 Copyright LocalNet360, Tampa Fire Restoration, All Rights Reserved Worldwide.
Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5
Not yet Rated
