Fire Safety and
Prevention Checklist
Updated 14apr24
Notice
Copyright 2010-2024 Steve
Anastasiadis (http://www.hurford-salvi-carr.co.uk/blog/fire-safety-and-prevention-checklist)
& Ken
Young (http://www.DinoDudes.com).
All rights reserved.
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When
it comes to ensuring the protection and security of your entire family
as well as the structural integrity of your home against emergency
situations such as fires, the old adage "better safe than sorry" goes
a
long way for your peace of mind. Responsible homeowners looking to
effectively minimize the risk and effects of fires know that it takes
a
lot more than having proper evacuation plans and physical fire safety
systems i.e. fire alarms/detectors on every floor and a portable fire
extinguisher in the kitchen.
Properly
preventing
and preparing for house fires takes a comprehensive and
deftly planned fire safety effort that encompasses correct evaluation
of potential fire hazards starting from the basement all the way to
the
attic, along with the development of the right escape strategies
involving each member of the family as well as every room of the home.
Having
an
adequate and inter-connected fire safety management plan in place
can literally save the lives of your
family members and protect your investment, while preventing
or
minimizing bodily injuries and property damage in the event of a fire
arising within the perimeter of your home.
Prevention
is
Key - Fire Safety and Prevention Checklist
It
pays to establish proper fire safety management systems well in
advance, which is why this detailed fire safety checklist aims at
effectively improving your preparedness in the event of a home fire.
Here are some general fire safety tips for the protection of your
family and home.
Fire
Alarms
- Have
installed both carbon monoxide alarms
and fire/smoke alarms on every floor of your home and in each
bedroom.
- Be
sure to check monthly if each alarm is
functioning properly by pushing the test button.
- Call
a specialist in case any of the
alarms are not working as they should and be sure to replace the
batteries once a year.
- If
the fire alarm makes a chirping sound,
then this it indicates that the battery needs to be replaced.
Fire
Hazards
- Carefully
remove any fire hazards in your
home.
- Practice
regularly (preferably twice a
year, at various times of the day) a carefully prepared fire escape
plan and stick to it in the event of a fire in your home.
- If
a fire occurs anywhere in your home,
crawl low under smoke, get out and call 911.
General
Advice
- Never
disable carbon monoxide or smoke
alarms and never use a camp stove, grill, generator or other natural
gas, charcoal, propane or gasoline devices inside your home,
basement,
garage, outdoor sleeping area, crawlspace or other enclosed area.
-
Make sure everyone knows that the proper response
to a fire
is to get out and stay out. Most people who go back into a burning
building do not come out alive.
- Ensure
all family members know two ways of
escaping from every room of your home, one of which should not rely
on
a staircase as well as the outside meeting point in case of a fire
occurring in your home.
- Make
sure there should be easy access to
any windows used for escape.
- When
evaluating the adequacy of the means
of escape, you need to consider the
size/construction/layout/contents
of your home, the number of people in the household and their
ability
to escape without any assistance.
- Use
a fire extinguisher only if the room
is not filled with smoke, the fire is localized to a small area and
you
have been previously trained to use one.
- Be
sure to keep your escape route to your
back when you pull the pin, aim low, at the base of the fire and
keep a
distance of minimum 6 feet from the flames to avoid air-blasting the
fire across the enclosure.
Basement
Fire
Safety Checklist
Take
the time to perform a thorough inspection of your basement or better
yet, rely on the expertise of a professional to expertly undertake the
fire risk assessment of your basement in a timely and efficient manner,
in order to ensure the following:
- The
burner access panels (typically
located on the front of the boilers) are fully closed in order to
prevent potential flame roll-out.
- The
breaker wires are perfectly tight, as
opposed to loose and the circuit breaker panel functions in optimum
conditions.
- If
your home is older, it is likely that
arc fault circuit interrupters ensure protection against potential
electrical wiring errors; be sure to secure the specialized services
of
an electrician to have these properly fixed.
- The
areas around various heat-generating
equipment (i.e. water heater, furnace, stove etc) are clear of any
hazardous and easily flammable materials, substances ( liquids,
aerosols) and debris/trash. Place the oily rags in air-tight
containers
and as far as possible from open flame.
- There
should be no frayed wire on light
bulbs and the wire insulators must show no visible signs of decay or
erosion.
- Avoid
smoking next to open flame in the
water heater and be sure to have at least three fire safety devices
in
the basement: a fire alarm, a carbon monoxide alarm and a sprinkler
system.
Garage
Fire
Safety Checklist
In
order to prevent the occurrence of fires in the garage, ensure the
following:
- Your
garage is free from any combustible
materials or easily flammable junk. Gasoline should be stored in
approved safety containers and away from any heat source, especially
where there is an open flame; the same goes for oily rags.
- The
door that leads from the garage to the
main house should be sturdy and incorporate both a fire-resisting
threshold and adequate weather stripping that can prevent carbon
monoxide fumes from entering the house.
- Ensure
all fire safety devices are
properly installed and working optimally in your garage.
Laundry
Room
Fire Safety Checklist
According
to
the National Fire Protection Association, more than 10,000 home
fires arise from the laundry room. Ensure you regularly conduct these
preventative laundry room safety checks:
- Properly
clean the lint trap ( located
near/in the door of the dryer) between each load of laundry. There
should be no accumulated lint inside the dryer, the exhaust duct or
the
area behind the dryer.
- Check
regularly the ducting at the back of
the dryer for any signs of lint collected there and call a
professional
to replace flexible plastic or foil ducting material with rigid
metal
dryer duct.
- Check
the end point of the dryer vent
outside your home and ensure the dryer vent is neither clogged with
lint and it properly opens to let the air out when your dryer is
running.
- Do
not store combustible material near the
dryer and if the furnace is located near the laundry room, avoid
dropping lint or hanging clothing near it. Do not
store unused grocery bags between the washer and drier.
First
Floor
Fire Safety Checklist
Wisely
conduct these simple yet effective first floor fire safety checks
related to fire prevention:
- Ensure
the first floor has a properly
working fire alarm and carbon monoxide detector.
- The
outlets should not be overloaded and
the extension cords should not be damaged or covered; do not use
extension cords as a substitute for permanent wires
- Neither
incandescent lights nor closet
lights should be exposed and be sure to keep all electrical cords
clear
of stairs and walkways.
- Keep
all bedroom doors properly closed
while your family sleeps; in the event of a home fire, the closed
doors
will keep fire/smoke out for a longer period of time and thus
improve
your chances to proceed safely along the pre-planned escape route.
- Ensure
there is a minimum 3-inch gap
between the lighting fixtures and fiberglass insulation in the attic
and call a professional roofer to fix any gaps that may be in/around
the chimney.
- Keep
all appliances in the bathroom away
from water sources and adjust the water heater to a safe
temperature that should not exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Ensure
there are no lit candles near the
towel rack and all heating devices in the bathroom have a minimum 3
feet of clearance from any potentially combustible materials/items.
Upstairs
and
Attic Fire Safety Checklist
- Ensure
each bedroom as well as hallway has
a working carbon monoxide and smoke detector.
- Each
bedroom should be equipped with an
escape ladder.
- Keep
portable heaters at least 3 feet away
from beds, curtains and other flammable materials.
- Use
UL-approved electric blankets.