Smoking Out the Facts about Household Fires

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Sunday, March 15th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed

Fire is a serious concern for any home. It can strike without warning. The fact is that in 2005, there were nearly 381,000 home fires in the U.S. resulting in over 16,000 injuries and deaths combined according to the National Fire Protection Association. Everyone should be familiar with the use of fire extinguishers, carbon monoxide detectors, smoke alarms and escape ladders for fire safety and protection.

Smoke detectors offer warning before a fire gets out of hand. The best and most effective way to alert your family in the event of a fire is to use smoke detectors. They can alert you and your loved ones in the early stages of a fire which can give the needed time to take action against the fire or escape. The greater number of smoke alarms you have placed throughout you home the better the likelihood you and your family will be alerted to a fire.

A fire extinguisher is a tool to combat small, contained fires. Having fire extinguishers strategically distributed in all areas of your home can increase your chances of keeping a small fire from getting out of control and becoming deadly.

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) categorizes fire extinguishers. The size and type of fire extinguisher determines the type of fire it should be used on. Fires are classified under three categories A,B, or C. “A” type fires are primarily wood, paper and fabric fires. “B” type fires are primarily flammable liquids and oil based fires. Lastly, “C” fire extinguishers are for electrical fires.

The A,B, or C rating on a fire extinguisher is preceded by a number that indicates the size of the fire the extinguisher is rated for. A 10-B:C extinguisher has been tested to, under most conditions, put out a 25 square foot fire of either flammable liquid or energized electrical equipment. A 5-B:C fire extinguisher is rated to fight a 12.5 ft square flammable liquid or electrical fire.

Being ready by using both smoke alarms and fire extinguishers in your home, having a prepared, rehearsed escape plan and knowing what to do in case of fire, can help save your home and your family.Tragedies caused by fire can be prevented!

It is recommended that homeowners install a minimum of one smoke detector on each floor of your house most importantly near sleeping areas. Also, place an emergency escape ladder in each second or third level bedroom of your home.Installing fire extinguishers in and easily accessible location on each floor is a wise move. You may want to consider more than one fire extinguisher per floor if you own a large home

For most homes the minimum recommended number of fire safety devices is one smoke detector and one fire extinguisher on every level. However, check your local building code for detailed smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector requirements.

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