Fire Safety Tips for the Everyday Citizen

• Have a functional smoke alarm- Smoke alarms are often the easiest way to stay safe in case of a fire. All you need to do is set it and forget it and it will do its job as long as you have one handy at all times and juiced up with fresh batteries. Best case scenario, you’ll only use it when you overcook the cookies you forgot about in the oven.
• Don’t overload electrical sockets- Don’t abuse the right to use multi-plug adapters by plugging in too many devices at a time. It could cause the outlet to short out or worse, start an electrical fire which, by the way, can NOT be extinguished with water. Instead, stop being lazy and move your phone charger to another outlet, even if that means it’s out of arms’ reach.
• Have an escape plan- They’re not just for Indiana Jones! In the event of a fire emergency, it is pertinent to have a practiced exit strategy in place to ensure everyone can get out of the building safely. Identify the quickest and safest path to leave the building and learn it well before you need to use it, just in case.
• Use appliances wisely-Read all instruction manuals carefully and only use electronics for their intended use. For example, don’t stick a metal fork in a toaster in the hopes of fishing out a piece of bread that slipped down too far.
• Keep an eye on children- For some reason, a lot of children are fascinated by fire and tend to err on the side of pyromania by setting things aflame just to see what happens. With this in mind, it is important to keep matches, lighters, and other flaming objects out of reach or accompanied by serious adult supervision.
• When necessary, use fire responsibly-When having a bonfire or other controlled source of flame, make sure you keep an eye on it and don’t get too crazy with the lighter fluid in order to show off to your friends. Also make sure it is extinguished completely and properly when you are done.