Fire Safety Is More Important Than Ever When It's Cold Outside
Tweet
Photo: Juliet White/Photographer's Choice/Getty Images
Two weeks ago, Atlanta resident Scott Dunn laid down in his living room with his beloved pooch Duncan and promptly fell asleep. A few hours later, he awoke to Duncan pawing at his face and barking in his ear, trying to wake him up. When he came to, he realized his house was fully engulfed in smoke and he had mere seconds to make it out with his life intact. He survived, but Duncan did not. Dunn's house was deemed a total loss, but it's nothing compared to the loss Dunn feels about losing his 3-year-old Boxer mix. The cause of the fire: a space heater used to keep the house warm.
Unfortunately, stories like these are all too common during the winter months. Between families trying to keep warm as best they can and holiday decorations overloading power outlets, there are more house fires during the fall and winter than there are in the spring and summer. The good news is, many of these can be avoided if you follow proper fire safety precautions.
The U.S. Fire Administration has a thorough list of safety measures to follow in regards to fireplaces, furnaces, space heaters, and more, which you can find here. As always, you'll need to do consistent and thorough checks of all of your smoke detectors throughout your house to make sure they're working properly. Our very own Pretty Handy Girl, a.k.a. Brittney, will take you step-by-step through that here.
And it's imperative that you and your family have a working escape plan out of your home if the need ever arises. Once again, the U.S. Fire Administration has us covered with what you need to know to develop a good escape plan for your family here. It's best to practice your plan with your family every couple of months. That may seem like overkill, but it's important to keep the information fresh. And please, don't forget your furry family members in the event of a fire. They'll be dependent on you to help them out of the house, so include them in your evacuation plan, too.
Top Articles on Home Safety
Smoke Detectors: What You Don't Know Can Kill You
Tornado Safety: How to Protect Your Family
How Many Toxins Are Hiding in Your Home? (Infographic)
