Luckily there are a few things you can do in and around your home to protect you and your family from the danger of fire. Making the time to create checklist specific to your home and its surrounding will give you a greater chance of avoiding potential disasters and escaping should you need to. Does your house break any safety fire rules?
Inside the home
Let’s take a look at some of the important elements within the home that need to be considered to ensure your safety when it comes to fire.
Smoke detectors or alarms
Make sure that you have at least one smoke alarm installed in your home on every level and most importantly near the bedrooms. Replacing their batteries annually is essential so pick a date or a season and stick to it.
Fire Extinguisher
The home is full of potential danger. Ensuring you never leave the kitchen unattended whilst cooking, keeping children out of reach of hot oil and taking the time to clean areas where there could be a regular grease build up will ensure it is safe. Having easy access to a fire extinguisher or fire safety blanket is essential and should be located near the kitchen for easy access.
Safety switches
Other than checking that all electrical cords and power units are safe and replaced if they are frayed or cracked, ensuring your home is fitted with safety switches is critical in the event that there is an overload or an unsafe appliance. Seek the assistance of a qualified electrician so that you know that the work is guaranteed and meets Australian standards.
Outside of the home
The external surroundings of the home are just as important as the inside. How you keep your garden, garage and property maintained is just as important.
Escaping the home in an emergency
In the event of an emergency, every family should have a fire escape drill prepared and most importantly practiced repeatedly. It should cover multiple scenarios and how to be safe regardless of which room in the home you may be in. Don’t forget to establish a meeting place well away from danger.
Clearing leaves and cleaning gutters
If you live in bushfire prone areas, your level of awareness may be heightened. You’ll be instructed by local fire authorities to keep the area in and around your home completely clear of branches, timber and leaves. Ensuring gutters are cleaned regularly is important, so too is installing a water system.
Ensuring everyone in the home knows how to escape and call triple zero (000) in the event of a fire could be a matter of life and death. There are many important elements of fire safety worth considering however if you want to be extra sure you have ticked all the right boxes, you can always organise a property inspection. Taking fire safety seriously is important.
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