Protecting Your Home from Fire

It only takes a matter of minutes for a home to be completely ravaged and destroyed by fire, but most home fires can be prevented. It all starts be being aware that the danger exists, and then taking the necessary steps to safeguard against fire in your home. In many cases, you don’t have to lose your home and possessions to fire, if you think ahead and take action now. Even though you likely have protection against fire with your homeowner’s insurance coverage, that money can’t replace your memories, your photographs, and other memorabilia you may have.

Candles are very popular nowadays, to add that extra romantic feel to a home, or even for fragrance. While candles are beautiful when lit, they can pose a real threat to your home, particularly if left unattended. If you have candles in your home, you should make certain that you blow them out whenever you leave the room, even if only for a few minutes. In the amount of time it takes you to go answer the door, your home could catch on fire thanks to an unattended candle. Never place candles near anything that could catch on fire, such as curtains, furniture, clothing, papers, etc. Even if your candle is placed in a heavy glass holder, it could still get hot enough to break the glass, creating a very real fire hazard.

When you use appliances, such as toasters, coffee makers, waffle irons, etc., make certain that you immediately unplug them when you are finished. Never leave them plugged up, as this could definitely cause a fire in the right circumstances. Even if you turn the power off of the item, it still isn’t safe until it is unplugged from the power source. Remember that these items get very hot, and if placed next to any kind of flammable material, could also be a potential fire hazard.

You should check all of your power cords at least once every three months, and maybe even more often if you have pets or small children. Frayed cords, either from frequent use, age, or mistreatment, could very easily cause a fire to occur in your home, so it is important not to overlook this task.

If you have children at home, you should teach them about the dangers or fire, and what to do in case a fire did occur. Talk to them about how matches, lighters, etc., could cause potential fires, and why they should never play with these items. If your children are home alone, they shouldn’t try to cook their own food, opting instead to eat foods that come straight from the cabinet or refrigerator instead, as cooking could also cause a potential fire. If you aren’t sure that your children can obey these rules, then they should not be left home alone.

Make certain that you have working alarms and extinguishers located throughout your home. Test them on a regular basis to make certain they are in good repair. Teach your children and everyone in your home how and when to use an extinguisher, and have them checked frequently as well, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Follow fire safety tips (Sierra Star)

Summer is in full swing and as we have all witnessed this can mean danger for those who live in the foothill and mountain areas. With the continuing shift of population from urban to rural areas, more people than ever face the risk of wildfire.

The Doctor Is In: School sports safety: Tips for staying healthy (Marblehead Reporter)

The new school year is just around the corner, and school sports teams are already gearing up with practice and scrimmages. The waning weeks of summer vacation are the perfect time to start getting into shape before the practices and school year begins.

Keep safety in mind over the holiday, officials say (The Yuma Sun)

Public officials offer a number of safety tips for travelers, hunters and lake-goers and urge the responsible use of alcohol during what is expected to be a busy Labor Day weekend.

Homestead's 2008 Summer Fest pushes hurricane safety (Miami Herald)

There were concerts, antique cars and children playing games Saturday at the Summer Fest 2008 at Losner Park in Homestead. The Homestead Merchants Association kicked off their event season with Summer Fest 2008, a free all-day block party.

National Share the Road Highway Safety Program Visits Baltimore to Promote Safe Driving During Back to School Week (PR Newswire via Yahoo! News)

Life-saving highway driving tips were presented today as part of the American Trucking Associations' national Share the Road highway safety tour by top professional truck drivers.