Most of us are attuned to wildfire season during the hot dry
months of late spring through early fall in the west. The press is ablaze
(pardon the pun) with stories of wildfires covering thousands of acres. Unless you’re
in a vicinity of one of those blazes, the reports on the TV or in the
newspapers is little more than news. It
really doesn’t affect you but it’s nice to be kept informed. The period between
October thru January is another matter altogether. This is fire season too,
only these fires are more likely to occur in your home. In 2010, 362,100
residential fires resulted in 2,555 deaths, 13,275 injuries and more than $6.6
billion in property losses.[1]
The question is: are you prepared? Not from an insurance
standpoint, but from a life safety standpoint. According to the article, most
fatalities in house fires, 70% actually occur when the victim is sleeping and
inhales smoke and fumes or when they blindly open the door seeking to escape. It’s a good idea to have a safety plan in
place prior to a fire rather than trying to develop one on the fly. This is all
the more important if you have kids. Simple things, like where to go after you
get outside, always sleeping with the bedroom door shut and then never opening
that door without first checking for heat on the other side can save your life
in the event of an emergency. Here’s something I would not have thought about
until after I read the article: keep all the toys and stuff away from the
window and let your kids know that in an emergency, it’s ok to rip down the
blinds and break the window if you need to get out of the house.
And as for you parents, if the hall is filled with smoke,
don’t try to get your kids from that route. Rather break into the window and
haul them out the way you got in. remember, practice your plan and have a safe
and great day!
Bill
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