Fire safety in the home is something we should all take very seriously. There’s almost nothing scarier than a house fire, with its potential for disaster, death and destruction. As frightening as a burning house may be, the situation can be worsened when the family inside doesn’t know what to do. Those who are armed with knowledge of fire safety have a much higher chance of getting out alive. In this short article, we’ll discuss some common-sense home fire safety tips.

Fire safety in the home

Form a fire safety plan. It’s one of the elementary rules of fire safety in the home; each family member should know where the most accessible exit points are. After you’ve formed a plan, hold an exit drill. Don’t forget to designate a meeting place somewhere outside the home.

Get low, and stay there. As smoke builds up, it rises. When you hear a smoke alarm go off, every member of the family should drop to the floor where the air is clearer. Then, crawl toward the exits and get as far away from the source of the smoke as possible.

Time is of the essence. When a fire starts, some people may “blank out” and think they have to do things like get fully dressed or run through the house searching for cherished belongings. Fire can spread rapidly, and sometimes seconds are all you have. Getting out alive should be your ONLY concern during a house fire.

Test your exits. In the event of fire, you may find yourself in a room with a closed door. Don’t give into instinct and blindly open the door; check it first and ensure that smoke isn’t rolling in beneath. If you can’t see smoke, feel the door and knob. If either are hot, don’t open it; go out the nearest window. This is one of the essential tips with fire safety in the home.

Ensure you have fire-resistant carpet. When selecting flooring for your home, ask your carpet fitting company if it’s fire-resistant. Fire can spread rapidly to flooring and walls, and the material in carpet can serve as an accelerant. Tell your carpet fitters to install fire-resistant padding, as well.

Don’t call rescue from inside the home. The advice “call the emergency services” is ingrained in all of us, but calling while your house is burning takes away seconds you’ll need in order to escape. Once everyone’s accounted for outside, use a neighbor’s phone to call rescue services.

Stay out! If your fire escape plan works, everyone should stay outside once they’re there. Wait for rescue to arrive, and NEVER try to go back inside the home. If there are pets inside, tell the firefighters when they arrive.

House fires are very scary, and the thought of losing everything you own can be overwhelming. Remember- material things can be replaced; people can’t be. Every family needs to learn basic fire safety, and have a detailed escape plan in place. Go over the tips above with your loved ones, and there’s a much higher chance of making it out safely. If you liked ‘Fire Safety In The Home’ please share it with someone who can use it, or on your social networking sites.

This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Stewart Groom Flooring, the expert carpet fitting company. Please visit their site to find out more about carpet fitting.