Did you know that house fires claim over 2,500 lives and cause over $7 billion worth of damages each year? All you need is just a flame from a candle to go rogue or an electric spark to start a house fire. With that said, it's crucial that you have adequate fire safety equipment at home to put out fires before they become a huge problem. You want to make sure that fire safety equipment is easily accessible to even young children in terms of where it is stored and how easily it can be used. Here are 3 tips you'll want to keep in mind.
Store Fire Extinguishers and Other Fire Safety Equipment Separately in the Bottom Drawer
Store all fire safety equipment in the same place in order to make sure that everyone at home knows where it is stored. You'll want to keep the fire extinguishers and other fire safety equipment tucked away separately in a bottom drawer or cabinet. This way, you can rest assured that the fire extinguishers will be easily accessible, as they won't be hidden behind or underneath piles of junk. In addition, by keeping the fire extinguishers in the bottom drawer, this type of fire safety equipment will be a lot easier for young children to handle.
Many parents make the mistake of storing fire extinguishers out of sight and out of mind in empty top drawers and cabinets. In these situations, it is difficult for young children to easily get to the fire extinguishers when they are needed simply because they can't reach them. Young children may need to grab a chair to stand on or climb onto the tables in order to reach the fire extinguishers. This gives the fire time to grow bigger.
Keep a Fire Extinguisher on Every Floor
Another way to make sure that the fire extinguishers are easily accessible whenever they are needed is to keep a fire extinguisher tucked away in a drawer on a cabinet or every floor of your residence. This way, you can limit the travel time it will take for your children to get their hands on a fire extinguisher when it is needed. Don't underestimate how quickly a fire can spread within the time it takes for a young child to run across the room, down the stairs, into another room and back again.
Make sure that you constantly remind your children as to where the fire extinguisher is located. You can also place the fire extinguisher in areas that are more prone to house fires, like the kitchen or in rooms where you or your children may be more likely to light a candle.
Teach Your Children How to Use the Fire Extinguishers with Dummy Fire Extinguishers
Making sure that the fire extinguishers are easily accessible in terms of where they are placed should not be your only concern. You also want to make sure that the fire extinguishers are easily accessible in the sense that your children won't fidget around with them and will know how to use them properly. To make this happen, teach your children how to use fire extinguishers with a dummy fire extinguisher and practice often. You want them to know how to use a fire extinguisher without having to think.
In particular, you'll want to teach your children the P.A.S.S. technique. To make it simple, you'll want to teach your children to pull the pin of the extinguisher, aim the nozzle at the base of the fire, squeeze the handle and sweep the nozzle side to side to cover the fire. Practice this technique several times a year to make sure that your children know exactly what to do.
Conclusion
Having several fire extinguishers cleverly stored at home can be the difference between a small house fire and a big catastrophe. As you might not always be available, make sure the fire extinguishers are easily accessible to your children. You want them to be able to act fast in order to control the fire if you are in another room or if you just stepped out of the house to make an important phone call in peace. Click for more info on fire extinguishers.
