Fires are one of the most dangerous disasters people face, and that is true for several reasons. If you’re stuck in a fire, there is very little time to act and to escape before you begin to feel the effects of the fire or before you have no more access to an escape route. The other problem is that there are multiple variables that make a fire more dangerous than many other disasters you face. From heat to falling objects to smoke inhalation to lack of vision, there are so many things that can go wrong in a fire, which is why you must familiarize yourself with as many fire safety tips as you can.

Fire safety tips can mean the difference between life and death for many people who find themselves trapped in a fire. Since a fire can start anywhere from your car to your home to your place of employment or education, you need to know what fire safety tips will save your life in every situation. Anything from an improperly wired outlet to a candle to a lightning strike to a space heater can cause a fire. Since you can’t always prevent fires from happening, you should learn how to utilize and employ proper fire safety tips in your life.

What makes fire so dangerous is there are so many ways to start a fire. From an accidental man-made situation to a natural disaster completely out of your control, anything can start a fire. Some of the most common causes of fires in the home and workplace are easily preventable, and many of them are seasonal. Preventing a fire from starting is the best way to ensure you are safe from a fire and never need to employ your fire safety tips. Here’s what commonly causes fires in the home.

  • Appliances and cooking accidents
  • Candles
  • Chemical and gas issues
  • Fireworks
  • Holiday décor such as lights and Christmas trees with lights
  • Lightning strikes
  • Cigarettes, cigars, and other smoking products
  • Juvenile fire accidents
  • Space heaters
  • Improper wiring

Space heaters, for example, are a seasonal issue. They’re often used in the cold months to add warmth to a house or to an office, and they can easily start a fire. Forgetting there is a candle lit or lighting one too close to something flammable is another common cause of fires. Not properly putting out cigarettes or other smoking objects can cause a fire. Kids who are playing with candles, lighters, or matches thinking they’re having a little fun can start a fire.

Leaving the stove on and setting something on top of it, forgetting to turn off the oven, not maintaining and cleaning out dryer vents, and other appliances that malfunction can all cause fires. Holiday décor is another seasonal issue. If you use lights, you can start a fire. If you have a Christmas tree that you don’t properly water or maintain, you can start a fire. Lightning strikes are not something you can control, but they are dangerous, too.

FIRE PREVENTION

The best fire safety tips you will ever receive come from the viewpoint of prevention. If you are careful to prevent a fire, you can help your home stay put, keep your family safe, and never worry about fire safety tips. Here are some of the best tips for preventing fires from occurring.

Inspect Heating Sources

There are companies who work diligently to inspect your heating sources annually to ensure there is no danger for fire. These are companies who charge very little to come to your home or office to inspect furnaces, appliances, and more. By employing this type of company to come to your home or office annually or seasonally, you can locate problems before they cause a fire.

Don’t Leave the Kitchen

When you’re cooking, stay in the kitchen. Do not go to the restroom, play outside, or leave the room. It takes a second for something on the stove or in the oven to catch fire, and it takes only a second to put out a brand-new fire. If you’re not in the room, that fire can spread fast and become impossible to put out on your own. It’s also important you keep all flammable items away from your stove and oven.

Keep a Close Eye on Candles

They should never be lit if they are too close to the shelf above them, to anything flammable such as a curtain or a decoration, and you should only light them if you plan on staying in the room with them. It’s also imperative you keep all candles away from children and their reach for maximum safety.

Keep Your Holiday Décor Safe

Holiday decorations are the most dangerous fire starters. Your Christmas tree, for example, need only become a little dry for a Christmas light to ignite. Trees are quick to burn, and they can cause a massive fire in only a few seconds’ time. It’s important you never leave your lights on if you are away from home and always keep your Christmas tree watered and healthy. If the tree begins to die, get rid of it and get a new one, so you don’t risk a fire in your home.

Use Your Fireplace Carefully

If you have a fireplace, be sure you’re using it correctly. If you don’t know how to use it because you’ve never had one before, find out what the proper precautions are before you light your first fire. It’s better to know what to do ahead of time than it is to learn in the moment. Never leave home with a fire burning and always keep your fire maintained.

Do Not Light Fires Close to Your Home

Don’t put a fire pit on a wooden deck. Do not keep it too close to the house. Don’t light your old Christmas tree on fire in your yard close to your home. Only burn outside if you have the appropriate materials and you are nowhere near your home or the homes of any of your neighbors

Use Space Heaters Sparingly

It’s understandable you might need one during the winter, but do not place it close to anything. Do not leave it on during the night, and do not leave it plugged in during the day. Keep it on only when you are close and keeping an eye on it. These are some of the most common causes of fire in the winter, and these fires are easily preventable.

FIRE SAFETY TIPS

Fire safety tips are invaluable. You cannot ignore these or decide you’ll learn them later. These are the tips that will save your life, prevent a fire, and possibly save your belongings.

Keep Fire Extinguishers at Home

These are most important in the kitchen or the garage, but you should have one in more rooms than just those. Try to have one every 50 feet so that you can stay safe if a fire starts.

Know What to Use to Put Out a Fire

If you don’t have a fire extinguisher on hand, you must know what is safe to use on certain fires. For example, you cannot use water to put out an electrical fire without adding more risk. Get to know what is helpful and what works on certain fires.

Test Smoke Alarms and Replace Batteries

Test your alarms every few months and replace the batteries in them every six months. You might not be able to prevent every fire, but you can alert your family and keep them safe.

Have an Exit Strategy

Your family needs to know what to do if there is a fire. They need to know where to go, how to escape, and where to meet. You need to know what’s safe, what’s not safe, and how to stay safe during a fire. These are some of the most important fire safety tips.

Know How to Stay Safe in a Fire

Stay low to the ground, hold fabric over your mouth and nose to avoid smoke inhalation, and get out. Fire experts warn you should not go into a burning building or look around for your family inside, but get out and meet them outside. However, this is not always possible if you have small kids or pets. You’re not advised to go into a fire to save them, but we know you will do anything and everything in your power to save your family.

CONCLUSION

Fire safety tips are meant to keep you safe and to keep your family safe, and that’s why it’s imperative you get to know them. Prevention is the best of all the fire safety tips, but don’t assume you and your family do not need to know how to stay safe and escape a fire if one occurs. It’s time for you to get to know the hidden dangers of your home or office, and it’s time for you to practice fire safety so you can keep your family safe.