Apartment Fire Safety Precautions

Even though last month was Fire Prevention Month, it is never too late to think about fire safety precautions.  Here is one of the easiest things you can do to protect you and your family.

Smoke detectors – Every apartment and home should have a smoke detector, whether it is part of an alarm system or standalone battery powered unit.  Battery powered smoke detectors should be inspected and tested somewhat frequently to make sure they are functioning properly.  Last weekend, we set the clocks back, and if you haven’t already, you should change the battery before you forget.

Be sure to place additional detectors on the ceiling near the bedroom areas of your apartment or town home so if a fire starts while you are asleep, the alarm will wake you up with ample time to react. Smoke rises, so all smoke alarms should be mounted high on walls or ceilings; ceiling-mounted alarms should be at least four inches away from the nearest wall, and wall-mounted ones should be four to twelve inches from the ceiling.  Additionally, choose a location in your apartment or townhome for your alarms that is well away from the path of steam from the bathroom or cooking vapors from the kitchen to avoid false alarms, which can be a nuisance.  We also recommend having interconnected alarms which can be installed wirelessly; if one alarm is set off, the connected ones are activated as well.

Besides a smoke alarm you should also have a carbon monoxide detector in your apartment, which will alert you to the presence of this odorless, tasteless, and invisible silent killer.

Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are available almost everywhere in all types of stores.  Most fire departments also offer them for free, some even with installation included.

If your apartment building or town home community is equipped with a fire alarm system, be sure to learn how to use it and recognize the sound of the alarm.  Have an evacuation plan for you and your family with a rendezvous point, should anyone be separated.  Finally, make sure you know where the individual alarms are located in your building and how to operate them in case of an emergency.

For more information on smoke detectors, the United States Fire Administration provides an excellent website. Read, take action, be safe!

If you have any questions or suggestions for future blogs, please contact me at briansblog@asignaturecommunity.com

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