How to protect your family in the event of a house fire

Sometimes, fires are unpreventable. Even if you had looked up how to prevent house fires, accidents happen such as faulty wiring or a neighboring barbecue. So if you find yourself trying to combat a fire before it spreads try to do the following: 

Grab a towel and pat it down to limit the oxygen that the fire has access to. This is especially helpful for grease fires that can spread quickly if action isn’t taken immediately. 

If that option isn’t available, be prepared by having a fire extinguisher within emergency distance. You have seen them used countless times in TV shows and movies, but if you have never used one yourself, familiarize yourself with P.A.S.S. 

“Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the flames, Squeeze the extinguisher handle, and Sweep from side to side until the fire is extinguished.”

When the fire isn’t preventable…

...and the situation presents itself where you can’t put the fire out with the previously mentioned action items, you need to get to safety and get emergency assistance. 

If you are inside the home, stay low and crawl due to the smoke rising. If you need to go through a door that doesn’t lead to an exit, check the temperature of the door or doorknob. If either are too hot, then you will need to find a different path. Try throwing furniture or something that will break through the window and give you an exit. 

Once you and your family are safe, call 911 and stay away from the building. 

Maybe you are reading this to prepare in case of an emergency, that means you are a planner. So how do you go about storing your irreplaceable items like your wedding album or your child’s first piece of school art? You probably already have a safe to keep your jewelry secure, but what about these everyday items that might be out and about?