Fire Prevention Week: Tips to Prevent Home Fires
Fire Prevention Week takes place every year during the second week of October. In 2024, the event will take place from October 6 to October 12. Organizations like the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) use the event to promote awareness of various fire issues. To help you and your family stay safe, the Kansas burn injury lawyers at Patterson Legal Group share important safety tips to avoid fires at home.
Why Home Fires Can Be So Devastating
Fire can destroy homes and the valuable property inside them. Some personal property can have high sentimental value, making these items impossible to replace. Fires can also destroy important documents, such as birth certificates, social security cards, passports, and other records that can be difficult to replace.
More importantly, fires can cause serious injuries. Some burns can take weeks to recover from, while others can cause catastrophic injuries that leave you with permanent damage. This is why the Kansas injury attorneys at Patterson Legal Group urge you to follow the Fire Prevention Week safety tips listed in this blog.
Fire Prevention Week Safety Tips
Although house fires can be catastrophic, most of them are preventable through simple safety measures. Here are five areas on which to concentrate your safety efforts.
Kitchen Fire Safety
The kitchen is often the most dangerous room in a house. Many kitchens are full of powerful appliances that generate heat. Homes with gas ranges can be especially dangerous. Follow these safety tips to avoid kitchen fires:
- Never leave cooking unattended. This includes when using the stove, oven, or grill. Leaving your cooking unattended for a few seconds to use the phone or go to the bathroom can lead to disaster.
- Children should be kept at least three feet away from the stove and oven. Consider using a stovetop guard to prevent them from reaching hot burners.
- Never pour hot grease down the drain, as it can solidify and cause a fire. Instead, let it cool and dispose of it in a sealed container.
Electrical Fire Safety
Many homes are full of electronics that draw considerable current, which can lead to electrical fires. Some home fires are caused in part by neglected power cables or surge protectors. Our Kansas electrocution injury lawyers suggest these tips to avoid electrical fires at home.
- Avoid overloading electrical outlets and extension cords. Plugging too many appliances into a single circuit can cause a fire.
- Replace any electrical cords that are frayed, cracked, or damaged. These cords can pose a serious fire hazard.
- Replace surge protectors every three to five years.
Heating Safety
Some house fires are caused by heating appliances or clothes dryers. Here’s what our Kansas injury attorneys recommend to avoid such fires:
- Place space heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials, such as curtains, furniture, and bedding. Never leave space heaters unattended.
- Have your chimney cleaned annually to remove flammable buildup.
- Clean dryer vents regularly to prevent lint buildup, which can ignite and cause a fire.
Make Sure Your Family Is Ready for a Fire
Some home fires are unavoidable. However, you can prevent a small fire from turning into a destructive inferno through these simple measures:
- Install fire extinguishers throughout your home and make sure everyone in your household knows how to use them. Fire extinguishers should be inspected annually and replaced when necessary.
- Have a fire escape plan and practice it regularly with your family. Ensure everyone knows at least two escape routes from each room in your home.
- Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including inside bedrooms and hallways. Test them monthly and replace the batteries annually.
Smoking and Vaping Safety
Smoking and vaping can lead to destructive home fires. Fortunately, avoiding these types of fires is easy if you follow these simple steps:
- Always fully extinguish cigarettes, cigars, and pipes before discarding them. Use a deep ashtray that is filled with water or sand.
- Never smoke in bed or when drowsy. Falling asleep while smoking can lead to a fire.
- Be sure to unplug vaping devices or vaping battery chargers once they’re finished charging. Although most modern batteries have overcurrent protection, these features can fail and lead to a fire.
Contact a Kansas Burn Injury Lawyer
The Kansas personal injury attorneys at Patterson Legal Group hope that you found these Fire Prevention Week safety tips useful. Please share them with your family and friends to increase the safety of the people in your life. Should you or a family member suffer burn injuries caused by another party, then do not hesitate to contact us. Our team can help you find the medical attention you need and start building a claim designed to win you the highest compensation allowable by law.
Patterson Legal Group is available to serve you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can reach us by phone at (888) 687-2400 and online through secure contact form or by connecting with our LiveChat agents.
