Fire

Early detection is critical to personal safety and property protection. Today most homes are equipped with some form of smoke detection such as battery or 110volt electrically powered detectors. While these detectors help alert you for evacuation while you at home they provide little value in protecting your property when you are not there.

Monitored fire systems pick up where the stand alone detectors fall short. At the initial detection of smoke a general alarm is created inside the home. At the same time the control panel is communicating to the central station that there is an emergency fire situation on site. At this point the central station operators are communicating with the home to see if anyone is there and dispatching the fire authorities for quick response.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, 80% of fire deaths happen in the home. As a leading provider of home security systems, we wanted todo something to reduce this alarming statistic. When fire strikes your home,authorities say you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape. It is imperative that you have a well-rehearsed escape plan which includes all members of the family that are old enough to understand, and provides for those that are not. Here are some of the things to remember:

Smoke Alarms/Home Fire Escape

• Does your home have working smoke alarms on every floor and inside and near all sleeping areas?
• Are the batteries working in all of the smoke alarms? (if required)
• Are all the exits in your home clear of furniture, toys, and clutter?
• Does your family have a home fire escape plan that includes two exits(usually a door and a window) from each room?

Cooking Safety

• Is there always someone in the kitchen when food is cooking on the stove?
• Are stove tops and counters clean and uncluttered?
• Are there pot holders within easy reach of the stove?
• Are pot handles turned inward so they can’t be bumped?
• Are curtains and other things that can burn easily away from the stove?
• Check fire extinguishers regularly

Heating Safety

• Are portable space heaters always turned off when leaving the room or sleeping?
• If space heaters are used in your home, are they at least three feet away from anything that can burn?
• Does your fireplace have a sturdy screen to catch sparks?
• Has your chimney been inspected and cleaned during the past year?
• Has your furnace been serviced by a professional in the past year?
• Are propane tanks and other fuels stored outside your home?

Electrical Safety

• Are extension cords used safely and not under carpets or across doorways?
• Are electrical cords in good condition, without cracks or frayed areas?
• Are kitchen appliances – such as the coffee-maker, toaster oven, and microwave – plugged into separate receptacle outlets?