The Naperville Fire Department is asking everyone to make home fire safety their top resolution this year, to help protect themselves and their families from the dangers of fire.
There are a few simple things you can do to protect your household from becoming one of the statistics.
Resolve that you will have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on each level of your home and that you will know what to do when the alarm sounds.
Resolve to develop an escape plan and practice it. Young children and the elderly are our most vulnerable populations, and by educating them, you can increase their chances of surviving if a fire event occurs.
If your smoke alarms were installed before Jan. 1, 2007, resolve to replace them; smoke alarms have a life expectancy of up to 10 years.
Resolve to keep fires from starting in the first place so that smoke alarms don’t have to be activated.
Resolve to never leave cooking or burning candles unattended, resolve to fully extinguish smoking materials, and resolve never to overload electrical sockets.
The severity of home fires has changed in recent years. The changes come in part from what goes into a modern home, including the highly combustible furniture, electronics with flammable plastic housing, and children’s plastic toys. Changes in the way homes are constructed also play a role: larger open living areas, lightweight engineered lumber frames and flammable finishing materials contribute to the more rapid spread of fire in homes. We are constructing homes with more flammable materials, and then filling them with more combustible contents and open space than ever before.
Most fires are preventable, and the majority of all fire deaths occur in the home. Think about the many ways you can protect your family, and resolve to make smart choices about behavior to prevent fires from starting. Think about what you would do if a fire were to occur, and resolve to practice an escape plan. Think about testing your smoke detectors once a month to ensure you and your loved ones have more time to escape, should a fire occur. And then carry out all of your New Year’s resolutions!
We all must do our part to prevent and save lives from fire.
Best wishes for a safe, healthy and Happy New Year!
