In honor of Fire Prevention Month, here’s a quick fire safety guide.
Which fire prevention measures should you take to keep your home and/or business safe?
When it comes to the home, fire prevention always starts with what you can do inside. The kitchen area, for example, is very susceptible to fire, so keep everything away from hot surfaces or stoves and never leave home with the oven on.
The laundry room is another area susceptible to fire due to the dryer vents. Over time, a lot of dry lint can accumulate in these vents, and one spark is all it takes to set things off. It’s a good idea to keep these vents well-maintained depending on how much laundry you do.
I always advise people to test their smoke detectors when they adjust their clocks for daylight savings time.
Generators are another potential issue, especially during hurricane season here in Florida. Some people keep their generators in or next to their garage, but you should never run a generator (or anything that emits carbon monoxide for that matter) in an area with no ventilation. Outside generator units with an attached propane tank are always your safest bet. One potential failsafe for homes with generators is to install CO detectors that we can provide and integrate into your alarm system.
An obvious fire prevention tip is to install a smoke detector. There are two types of smoke detectors for most residential homes: the regular high-voltage ones and the low-voltage ones that we at the Security Alarm Corporation sell. The high-voltage ones require a 9-volt battery, and they beep every once in a while. These should be tested every six months; I always advise people to test them each time they adjust their clocks for daylight savings time. The low-voltage ones we sell not only alert you whenever they detect smoke, but they also send a signal to the fire department.
Another item you should always keep in your home is a fire extinguisher—at least something small in the kitchen, utility room, or garage area. In the video above, you can see two types of extinguishers: The commercial-grade type you can buy at any Lowe’s or Home Depot, and the smaller type you can find at Target, Walmart, or any other big-box store. In the spirit of fire prevention month we are giving away 20 of these small fire extinguishers, so feel free to stop by if you’d like to grab one.
One of the services we provide for our commercial clients is the installation of a commercial fire alarm system. These systems are integrated into the actual building and use pull stations and horn strobes to generate a sound if any smoke, heat, or flame is detected. This system then calls the fire department through our UL central station. Additionally, we provide fire inspection, repair, and maintenance services. We’ve also added emergency and exit lights to our list of products (which we maintain and inspect for you).
If you’d like to know more about these services or have any fire prevention questions, don’t hesitate to give our office a call. We’d love to help you.