Be Thankful For Smoke Detectors

The holidays are a time for celebrating! That means more cooking, decorating, and entertaining, and with that comes an increased risk of fires from burning candles, Christmas trees, a roaring fire, and holiday cooking. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), house fires double around Thanksgiving, with nearly 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires reported annually in the U.S., causing an estimated average of 25 injuries, $21 million in property loss, and 5 deaths. Additionally, candles are responsible for more than 15,000 residential fires and Christmas tree fires account for an average of 240 house fires in the U.S. every year. The good news – a working smoke detector can go a long way toward protecting you and your loved ones.

Even if there are smoke detectors in your home, are they position in the best locations? If there was a fire in your home would you know what to do? Would your kids hear a smoke alarm during the night? Does your family have an escape plan? According to the NFPA, half of home fire deaths result from fires reported between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. when most people are asleep, and three out of five home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Lawsuit Financial encourages all its readers, to view an  incredible eye opening story by clicking here, as well as take these simple steps to ensure the safety of you and your famliy:

• Place smoke detectors on each level of your home and inside your child’s room.
• Interconnect all smoke alarms throughout the home; when one sounds, they all will.
• Invest in a voice recordable detectors.
• Test alarms at least monthly.
• Replace alkaline batteries twice a year;
• Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or sooner if they don’t respond properly.
• As it’s getting colder, be extra careful if you plan to use a space heater. Don’t put it on carpet and don’t put anything on top of it. If no one is in the room with the space heater, it should be turned off.
• Practice home fire drills. Make sure everyone in the home knows the sound of the smoke alarm and understands what to do when it goes off.
• Make an escape plan so everyone knows two ways out of the house and the location of an outdoor meeting place.
• Call the fire department from outside the home.

Lawsuit Financial encourages everyone to follow these tips to increase fire safety and prevention not only this holiday season, but all year long.

Have a safe Thanksgiving!