Home-Made Fire Preparedness

     Prevention is better than cure - but when we speak of disasters, preparedness is the key to prevent them. 

     One of the most dreaded disasters that can happen in a household is catching a fire. It can cost you the most important things in your life - your home and everything inside it, and even your life or the life of your loved ones. And the worst part is, no one knows when this accident could occur. It's definitely a visitor no one wants to welcome.

"Let me in or I'll burn your house down."

     You don't want your lovely home to turn into ashes so you need to be always prepared in case a spontaneously combustible object in your house decided to ignite itself and your whole living room or your neighbour decided to have a little campfire using everything in your building as fire wood.

"That's hot. Totally not cool."

     Here are some helpful tips to prepare yourself against fires in your home:

What fire extinguisher to buy?

     Did you know that not all fire extinguishers can put out all kinds of fire? Fire extinguishers have several types.  The most widely used is the one that puts out most solid fires such as paper, wood, plastic, etc. However, there are also fire extinguishers made specifically to extinguish flammable liquid such as petrol, paraffin and oil. There is also an extinguisher that is intended for fires involving electrical apparatus and one that is intended to extinguish fires caused by cooking oil and fat. It's best that you check the labels before you buy a fire extinguisher for home use.

Not all fire extinguishers are created equal.

Where to put fire extinguishers?

     Now that you have a suitable fire extinguisher that can kill different types of fire effectively, you must put them on the most appropriate places inside your house. Basically you need to put them throughout your house and on all levels. Depending how large the total area of your home is, put one fire extinguishers along hallways, outside the bedrooms and bathrooms. It is very important that you put one in your kitchen because that is where your stove is located (I hope). However, put it near the stove, not directly below it because you don't want to go ducking under the flames when a stovetop fire occurs. 

Locked, loaded and ready to go!

     It is not everyday that you use a fire extinguisher (and we all hope it stay that way), so there is a chance that the one positioned in your kitchen right now which you bought ages ago is no longer working. Be sure that every fire extinguisher in your house is full and always ready for battle. If you are using a battery-operated extinguisher, make sure to check it regularly and change the batteries every so often. 

"I can still take on the he-(cough) heat!"

What to do in case of fire?

     Although fire extinguishers are a good way kill fire, there are a lot more ways to prevent and control it: 

• Install smoke and heat detectors so you can be notified and you can have a lot of time to escape and  salvage anything that you can in case of fire.
• Create an escape plan for the whole family. Indicate escape routes from each room of the house.
• When a kitchen fire occurs, do not put out grease fire with water. Baking can be used alternatively.
• Make sure the whole family knows the telephone number of fire-fighting authorities so you can notify them immediately in case of a house fire.
• Participate in community activities such as fire drills, fire-prevention seminars, etc.

Credits

Story based from:

http://www.hgtv.com/homekeeping/9-fire-safety-tips/index.html

Photos from:

http://ranger-pathfinder-notes.blogspot.com/2011/05/fire-in-hole-art-of-scout.html

http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/File:500_burning_building.jpg

http://www.allfireextinguishertypes.com/fire-extinguisher-types/

http://jolita.us/page/2