How to Prevent Fires

7/29/2020 (Permalink)

Fires can be devestating. Be sure to follow these tips to protect those in your household!

Home fires can get out of control fast. After all, it only takes five minutes for a home to become engulfed in flames. Fires spread fast, with a major fire able to develop within 30 seconds. In order to prevent fires from starting, please take care to review the following information to keep you and your family safe!

Check Your Smoke Alarm

A working smoke alarm can be the difference between life and death in the case of a fire. We recommend you install a dual-sensor smoke alarm: these contain sensors that pick up on both ionization and photoelectric smoke. Test your batteries monthly and replace batteries annually. Depending on your manufacturer, you can expect to change your smoke alarm once every 8-10 years.

Stay in the Kitchen

If you are actively using heat to cook in the kitchen, be sure to supervise at all times. If you have to leave at any point, be sure to turn off the stove. Cooking is the #1 cause of house fires and can be easily prevented by being diligent. 

Cut Those Wires

Any appliances that have worn or damaged cords should be replaced ASAP. Wires that are frayed can cause fires, especially if close to rugs or furniture that can spread the fire further.

Watch the Flammables

When cooking, be sure to keep flammables (such as alcohol or hand sanitizer) far away from the heat source.

Child Supervision

Never leave a child unsupervised near a stove or candles! Not even for a short period of time should children be left unattended with a source of fire.

Most house or apartment fires are easily avoidable. With some foresight, you may never have to know the damage that can accompany a fire in the home. However, we here at SERVPRO of Southern Staten Island are here to help if you require help for fire restoration. Just give us a call at (718) 979-4100 and we will make it look "Like it never even happened."