Exclusive Fire Safety Tips This Thanksgiving Holiday
Tips that Go Beyond the Kitchen Thanksgiving is a delicious time of year in which we give special attention to the many things that we are thankful for. It’s also a time in which we must be extra vigilant about fire risks and safety so that those people and things that we love are protected. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to ensure that your home is safe during this chaotic and joyful time without adding too much to an already very long to-do list. These are also measures that can protect you, your family, and your home year round. Protect Yourself Against Fire, Flood & CO Every Day! But First, A Look at Some Numbers Before we get into the tips, it’s good to get a solid understanding of why you need to make extra sure that you prevent a Thanksgiving fire, which will help you prevent a fire at any time. The U.S. Fire Administration published a report on Thanksgiving fires in residential buildings from 2014 to 2016 and this is what they found: For every year (2014, 2015, and 2016), there were approximately 2,400 residential fires reported to U.S. fire departments on Thanksgiving day, which caused $19 million in property loss in addition to the 25 injuries and 5 deaths. There are 1.8 Thanksgiving Day fires per 1,000 fires compare to 5.8 non-Thanksgiving Day fires per 1,000 fires. There are 11 injuries per 1,000 Thanksgiving fires compared to 25.7 injuries per 1,000 non-Thanksgiving fires. $7,800 is the average loss per fire compared to $17,560 for non-Thanksgiving Day fires. Multifamily dwellings account for 32.1% of Thanksgiving Day fires. One- and two-family dwellings account for 62.6% of Thanksgiving Day fires, while the remaining 5.3% is reserved for other types of homes. Thanksgiving fire alarm numbers begin to increase at 7:00 a.m. and peak from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 77% of Thanksgiving fires are limited to the object of origin, which means it is contained where it begins. However, this doesn’t minimize the extent of injury. Cooking is responsible for 76.5% of Thanksgiving fires. You can see here that the pattern of Thanksgiving fires is different from a random fire that happens any other time of the year. Knowing the profile of what makes a Thanksgiving fire different can help you with prevention. Just don’t let the fact that there are fewer deaths or injuries per 1,000 fires get your guard down because Thanksgiving is one day a year and nearly 3,000 fires on one day is a lot. Fire Safety Tips to Keep You Safe on Thanksgiving Now it’s time for some quick tips. For instance, HAVE A WORKING SMOKE ALARM. This is key in fire containment and overall safety. Security alarms have built-in smoke detectors that can detect smoke or fire anywhere in the house all year round. Second, make sure you have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen close to the stove and oven. Before you start cooking, make sure your fire extinguisher is safe to use. Third, don’t cook with long, loose sleeves since loose clothing can catch fire. Some other tips: Don’t leave cooking food unattended. Yes, it is tempting to make that quick trip to the grocery store, but either have another adult watch the kitchen or send them on an errand. Kids and the cooking of a huge meal aren’t compatible. It’s best that the little ones stay away from all of the sharp objects and hot things. Face pot and pan handles toward the back of the stove so they aren’t over any burners. Be mindful of towel placement so they don’t touch a burner and catch fire. If a fire occurs, your 24/7 monitored security system can alert the authorities. Don’t yet have a system? Call 911 immediately. If the fire is a grease or oil fire, don’t throw the contents outside. Instead, place a lid over the flames to snuff them out and turn off the heat. The lid shouldn’t be removed until the pan cools. You can also put out an oven fire by keeping the door closed and turning off the heat so it smothers. Opening the door simply gives the fire oxygen to thrive. Baking soda is also another good thing to have to put out a food fire. You don’t want to use flour or water because the reaction could be a violent one that causes the fire to spread. Contact An Expert Rochester Fire Alarm Company By keeping the above fire safety tips in mind, you should have a much safer Thanksgiving. If you don’t have an alarm system that can detect smoke or fire anywhere in your home, SPS Fire & Security has some great options that will help you protect your family and your home. Call us for more information at 585-770-0348. Happy Thanksgiving!
Winter Fireplace Safety: What You Need to Know
Tips for Safe Fireplace Use Many people buy a house with a fireplace, or they plan to add one. But if you get a fireplace, you should think about many things, especially if you have small children. Fireplace safety is important for everyone in your family. There are many fireplace safety tips to consider: First, get a pro to install your fireplace. Next, each year before you use your fireplace, hire a chimney sweep. They will check and clean your chimney. Also, as a homeowner, make sure your home has working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Check that each one works well and has fresh batteries. Furthermore, if you have a fireplace, keep a fire extinguisher close by. Crucially, never put anything near the fireplace. Flammable items should be at least three feet from the fire. If you have pets or small children, think about putting a gate around the fireplace. In addition, never burn anything that could make the fire too big. Don’t burn trash, Styrofoam, or plastic. These things can make your fire get out of control and become dangerous. Moreover, never use liquids that catch fire easily to start your fire. You can buy special fire-starting logs to help get your fire going safely. Also, make sure you have a fire alarm installed in case the fire gets out of control when you’re not in the room.That way, you and your family can be alerted right away, and the fire department can be called so they can take care of the fire as quickly as possible. Safe Fireplace Use Always open the damper before you light a fire. This makes sure smoke goes up the chimney and not into your home. Only use dry, seasoned wood. Wet wood makes more smoke and can leave sticky gunk in your chimney, which can cause fires. Never leave a fire burning in your fireplace when you leave the house or go to bed. Make sure all the embers are out. Always use a metal screen or glass doors in front of your fireplace. This stops sparks from flying out and keeps kids and pets safe. Finally, clean out ashes carefully. Hot ashes can stay hot for days! Always put them in a metal can with a lid, and move it far away from your house. Security Systems Have Fire Alarms Also, getting your fire alarm professionally installed in the right locations will properly update you when there’s a fire. That way, you and your family can be alerted right away, and the fire department can be called so they can take care of the fire as quickly as possible. Contact Your Fire Safety and Home Security Company For more information or questions regarding your fireplace or need to have smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors installed in your house, you can contact SPS security and Fire at 585-770-0348.
Christmas Light Safety: Easy Steps for a Hazard-Free Display
How to Prevent Christmas Light Fires It’s almost Christmastime and everyone likes to decorate at least a month early.. Some even have a beautiful light display that many will drive by to see. One thing that crosses many peoples’ minds is how much the electricity costs for the Christmas season. They might even consider Christmas light safety to avoid having a fire risk. Just note that because there is always a fire risk, you also need to ensure you have the proper fire alarm installed in your home. This is so your family receive early warning that there is a problem. Christmas Light Safety If you are one of those individuals that like to decorate with lots and lots of lights, there are many things that you can do to prevent an electrical fire. If you forget to turn your lights off and are away from home, there are a few ways that you can turn them off right from your smart phone. Christmas lights When shopping for lights make sure you read the labels correctly. Putting inside lights outside can become dangerous and cause electrical shock. If you have lights from the previous Christmas, you want to check all the bulbs and the extension cord that they come on. If either is damaged don’t use them. Damaged cords can become overheated and cause a fire. Its always a good idea to save the extra bulbs that come with the string of lights so if one bulb needs replacing you are using the same exact light bulb for that string. Using a light bulb with a different wattage can be dangerous. When hanging lights on the tree, inside or outside, make sure that you connect no more than three strands of lights together. Connecting more could cause a fire because of overheating. Extension cords should not become overloaded with lights. When purchasing an extension cord, make sure you know how much wattage you are going to be connecting to it. Overloading the cord with more wattage than recommended can cause an electrical fire. Turning your lights on and off Make sure you turn off your tree lights, lights outside, or any Christmas lights used for decorating before you go to bed or before leaving your house. If there is ever a time that you forget, you can call a neighbor. If it becomes a repeated thing, you might want to invest in smartphone outlet plugs. These are plugs that you get for your house that you can plug the tree lights, outside/inside lights to. Once you have the plug, you download the app that is connected to the plug. Follow the instructions in the app and you are good to go. Exercise Christmas Light Safety with a Security System Fire Alarm Company Rochester If you have any additional questions regarding a home fire alarm Rochester residents trust in their homes during the holiday season and throughout the entire year, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 585-770-0348.
Fire Extinguishers, Fire Plans, Fire Alarms, and More
During Fire Prevention Week, which occurs each year in October, your children are educated at school about fire alarms, fire safety plans for their house, the do’s and don’ts of fire safety, and a whole lot more. One question that we as parents should ask ourselves is what would happen if there was a fire? Would your children know how to use a fire extinguisher? Or if the smoke alarm was falsely tripped, would they know the security password to tell the alarm company? Monitored Smoke Alarms Any fire department, home contractor, or security company will tell you: any smoke detector is better than none. If you have kids at home, monitored smoke detectors are best. This means if you burn toast or forget the cake, the alarm will sound and alert your alarm company. When the company calls, give them your security password. Then, you can explain it’s a false alarm so they don’t call the fire department. Monitored smoke alarms are better than simple ones that just beep, especially with children in the house. Knowing How to Use a Fire Extinguisher It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to fire safety. Plus, it is never too early to teach your children to use a fire extinguisher. If your home doesn’t already have a fire extinguisher, it would be a good idea to consider getting one. Some of the simplest fires can be put out with a fire extinguisher and save many of lives. You and your family can learn how to use a fire extinguisher by either contacting your local fire department and having someone from there show you, or you can watch the video below. Having your children know how to use an extinguisher will make you, as a parent, feel a little more at ease with them at home. Fire Plans very home needs a fire safety plan. People also call it a fire escape plan, or firefighters call it “Knowing Two Ways Out.” Your family’s plan can be as simple as you like. Practice it at least two or three times every year. This helps everyone in your family stay safe, especially kids. So, if you haven’t practiced your escape plan this month, make time to do it nowwith your family. If you have questions about monitored fire alarms, contact SPS Fire and Security. For fire extinguishers and where to get one, contact your local fire department. Both can answer all your questions. Contact An Experienced Fire Alarm Installer At SPS Fire & Security, fire safety goes well beyond Fire Prevention Week. We help you choose a system that works for your home and budget and then we install it for you. To learn more about our services, call us at 585-770-0348 and get a free consultation.
What Smoke Detector Better Suits Your Home?
Choose the Right Smoke Detector If you are like many people, you probably didn’t know that there are different kinds smoke detectors, which means you would probably go to the hardware store and get the first one that you see. Every year, home fires injure or kill many people. This happens because the smoke detector either failed or homeowners installed the wrong type. Knowing more about different smoke and fire alarms, and which kind best fits your home, will greatly increase your chances of survival if a fire starts. Where Can I Get a Smoke Detector? Smoke detectors can be purchased at any hardware, home supply or general merchandise store located near you. Some fire departments offer smoke alarms at little or no cost. Get High-End Fire Protection! Where Should Smoke Detectors be Located? Every home should have smoke detectors and they should be placed on every level of the home including the basement. The detectors should be placed outside every sleeping area and the bed should be no more than twenty feet from the alarm. If there is people in the home that sleep with the door closed, then a smoke alarm should be installed both inside and outside of that room. Two Different Kinds of Smoke Detectors Most people don’t know about the different kinds of smoke detectors. However, each one serves a different purpose. Knowing the difference can save lives. A photoelectric smoke detector uses ultraviolet light, a special receiver, and a lens. All these parts sit inside a vented chamber, so air can flow through it. If smoke is present, it will move into this chamber. An LED light also sends a beam of light across the chamber. A separate part inside has a photosensor that detects this light. As smoke enters, it breaks the light beam. This makes the light scatter towards the sensor, which then makes the alarm sound. Photoelectric smoke alarms respond very quickly to fires. Some Stats The National Fire Protection Association says photoelectric smoke alarms are great. They warn you well about different kinds of fires. This gives you more time to leave your home when a fire starts. An ionization smoke detector has a tiny bit of americium-241. This sits inside a special chamber. It creates an electric current between two metal plates, which then sounds the alarm. This happens because these metal parts connect to a battery. The americium-241 changes air molecules into positive and negative parts. When smoke enters the alarm, these parts stick to the smoke, and that makes the alarm go off. Ionization smoke alarms usually react faster to active fires. This kind of alarm can find even a small amount of smoke. For instance, if food on your stove catches fire, the alarm will detect it. That’s why you often find this type of fire alarm in kitchens. However, this alarm might not sound fast enough for you to get out quickly. The Fire Alarm Verdict – SPS Fire & Security Can Help Now that you know about both types of smoke alarms, you should get photoelectric smoke alarms for your home. Photoelectric alarms respond faster and warn you to get out quicker during a fire than ionization alarms. Also, remember your security system has a fire alarm built in. This is another way to keep your family safe. If you don’t have a security system with fire and carbon monoxide detection, contact SPS at 585-770-0348. Ask us how we can make you and your home safer.