In the Situation of a Fire - Prepare and Plan Ahead

As far as calamitous disasters go there are few things as staggering as a fire that ruins your home and possessions. A fire in your house is a distressing and an intensely exhausting event, whether it consumes everything or not. Nevertheless, there are some precautions you can take to lessen the chances of a fire from occurring in your residence. The fire damage restoration team at Paul Davis knows the severe condition of house fires and that's why it's important to know how to plan and prepare your home and what to do when a fire happens.

The Seriousness of Emergency Strategies

One of the more fundamental things you can do to plan for a house fire is to have safety rules in place. Since not all fires are preventable, being safe is fundamental. Every residence needs the proper amount of fire extinguishers and smoke alarms located throughout the property. Additionally, you should think about purchasing smoke alarms that trigger from smoke that is caused by electrical fires because faulty wiring is one of the primary culprits of house fires. Children in the house should be taught how a smoke alarm sounds when it goes off and what to do when it does. Next, have your emergency program in order. Every member in the home should know two ways to escape from every room and where to congregate outside when a fire happens. Additionally, make sure that all members of the household know how to call 911 in the situation of an emergency. Something else you need to do is protect your valuable things like birth certificates, passports and photographs. You can create digital replicas and place them into cloud storage for safe keeping, and you can get a fire safe box to keep the hard copies safe as well. Finally, make a record of all your personal belongings for insurance reasons in case they're engulfed by the flames.

To Lessen the Hazards of a Fire in Your Residence Implement These Steps

Even though some fires aren't avoidable, there are some things you can do to decrease the chances of a fire from happening in your residence:

  • Portable Heaters: Never should you allow a space heater alone, and keep flammable items three feet away from the heater. It's also fundamental for your heater to have the proper features for safety. For instance, the heater shuts off when it tips over.
  • Appliances and Electrical: Check your light switches to see if they need to be changed out. If they're hot to the touch, that's a clue that they're damaged. In addition, examine your appliances for worn out cords and broken plugs.
  • Children: Teach your children that fire is not something to play with, and make sure to keep your matches and lighters in a safe spot that is out of sight and out of reach.
  • Cooking: Always remain in the kitchen while you're cooking and don't leave it unattended. If you need to leave the kitchen, get somebody to watch over the food until you come back.
  • Smoking: Inside smoking makes your house susceptible to house fires, so the finest approach to prevent a calamity is to smoke outside. If you do smoke inside, make sure you have suitable ashtrays to prevent a cigar or cigarette from falling onto the floor. But if somebody in the residence is using oxygen, do not smoke inside as oxygen is highly combustible.
  • Fireplaces: Creosote is highly flammable and it builds up in your fireplace and chimney after it's been in use, so make sure to get your fireplace cleaned regularly. Obtaining a large, strong screen is also imperative to prevent sparks from flying into the room and log rollovers.

Contact the Experienced Fire Damage Restoration Contractors from Paul Davis

If you have a house fire, don't hesitate to contact Paul Davis. Our professional team has the knowledge you need with fire damage restoration services and we'll have your home back to a livable condition. Call us at 888-473-7669 and a franchise near you will be ready to help out.