Home Fire Safety Checklist

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It is important that in the event of a fire (or emergency) you have a safety checklist and escape plan. Take the time to put both in place with your family, friends or boarders – it could potentially save a life.

A home fire safety checklist consists of a to-do list to prevent your home from catching on fire. These measures should be applied on a daily basis to help reduce the risk overall. The to-do list may include items such as times to regularly clean, dust, check and maintain smoke alarms throughout the home. It may also note general safety actions such as keeping flammable items away from heat sources, being present when there are lit flames (candles, fires, BBQs etc.), safe storage of combustible goods and good practices in the kitchen when cooking and cleaning.

Read our blog to see tips on creating an Escape plan for your home.

Escape Plan

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In just two minutes, a fire can become lift-threatening. In five minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames. Scary isn’t it! This doesn’t give you much time to think about how to get yourself or family member to safety. Taking the time to an escape plan in place with your family, friends or boarders could potentially save a life.

An Escape Plan will ensure you know the best escape locations around your home with an active course of action should you become trapped by fire. When designing an escape plan, everyone in the home should be included. Make sure everyone knows the plan of escape as well as where to meet should you become separated during a fire emergency.

You should consider escape locations, meeting places and the best times to call for help. This plan can also be used for other emergency situations. If you have children, helping them know what to do can assist in managing panic and fear should the worst ever happen.

How do you make a fire plan? Here are a few elements to consider when making a plan:

  • Draw a floor plan so you can review ways to escape from each room
  • Keep door and window keys easily accessible
  • Try to keep all exits clear
  • Decide on a meeting point that is a safe distance from the house (letterbox, clothesline, at a neighbours home, a nearby street sign)
  • Remind everyone that when you get out – you stay out. Never return into a burning building
  • Practice! It is essential that everyone in the household knows what to do in the event of a Fire.

And remember to get down low, as smoke can cause damage to the lungs and death. If your clothes catch on fire, STOP, DROP and ROLL.

1 in 5 South Australian homes aren’t compliant

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A scary statistic has been shared via a news article about Adelaide home owners not getting compliant on smoke alarms. New research shows that 1 in 5 homes in South Australia are not following the law by failing to install smoke alarms in their properties.

There are so many cases where smoke alarms have saved lives. In many of instances it alerted them from their slumber to exit the house safely. In other incidences, occupants simple had no idea that a fire has even start in their property until the smoke alarm sounds.

Shockingly, last year 98 out of 528 house fires did not have smoke alarms installed at their property, another 2 per cent had working smoke alarms that were disabled.

Not only do smoke alarms keep loved ones safe by giving you that vital time to jump in to action, smoke alarms are a necessary investment to help protect your livelihood.

Read more here