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A couple of weeks ago, I did something that could have been devastating. During the week, my kids will often have activities after school, which means our evenings can be quite hurried and a bit chaotic. That particular evening, we had just settled in at home from swim and I was rushing to get dinner on the table while my son completed his homework. It was a “leftover” night so I was busy warming food up on the stove and in our toaster oven. Suddenly, the smell of fire overwhelmed me and I went into panic mode since I didn’t readily identify where the smell was coming from. The smoke wafting out of the toaster oven should have given it away. Note to self: Never put cardboard in a toaster oven. Ever. Fortunately, I was able to put out the fire almost immediately but the scenario could have been much worse had I not been right there in the kitchen to act immediately.
I never thought a fire could happen in our home, but given the fact that we have a gazillion appliances and a living room fireplace, it would behoove us to be more vigilant about fire safety. According to The National Fire Protection Association, most home fires and Carbon Monoxide poisoning occur in the winter. The cold weather brings people inside which means the use of heating systems and fireplaces increases. In our home, we have been cooking more than usual, using candles to illuminate our home, and decorating with lights, all of which have the potential to cause a fire.
In order to stay safe this season, Kidde offers 5 ways to prevent fires and carbon monoxide poisoning:
1. Replace smoke alarms every 10 years. I also recommend checking them monthly to ensure the batteries are still working.
2. Place a fire extinguisher on every level of your home and make sure it is within reaching distance. Our sole fire extinguisher is in the kitchen which means we’ll need to get at least one more for our upstairs living area. You might also consider installing one in the garage. Fire extinguishers should be checked monthly to ensure they are still pressurized and should be replaced after 12 years or when you’ve used it.
3. Install Carbon Monoxide alarms on each floor of your home near the bedrooms. Be sure to test your alarms monthly and replace any that are outdated.
4. Make sure your family has an escape plan and that you practice it regularly. Key components include ensuring that you have 2 ways to get out of every room, knowing who will assist children or those with health/mobility issues, and ensuring that upstairs rooms have escape ladders.
To see how safe our home is, I decided to take Kidde’s Home Safety Quiz and I encourage you to do the same:
1. While our alarms are less than 10 years old, I found that some of the ones in our home needed new batteries.
2. At present, we have at least one smoke alarm and a CO alarm on each floor of our home and inside each of our bedrooms. This weekend, my husband and I will install additional smoke alarms outside of our bedrooms.
3. Our smoke and CO alarms are in desperate need of an upgrade. The ones we have right now are simple but we’re looking into those that have features like an LED light in the hallway, a 10-year, tamper-proof lithium battery, and voice notification.
4. After a quick assessment of our home’s safety products, I realized that we could use at least one more fire extinguisher upstairs and we need to purchase escape ladders for our upstairs bedrooms.
5. I’m embarrassed to admit that at present, we don’t have an escape plan. One of our goals before the year’s end is to create one and review it with our children.
6. From the moment my children could understand, we taught them how to dial 911 in the even of an emergency. My son knows our phone number and we’re currently teaching our daughter so that both know who to call and what to do.
7. I have to admit that I had no idea our appliances and chimney should be checked to ensure they ventilate properly. Carbon Monoxide poisoning is a very real risk and one that we don’t often think about.
I encourage you to take a few minutes each month to review your home’s safety plan. And, if your fire or CO alarm is in need of an upgrade, consider Kidde’s Worry-Free alarms which offer 1o years of protection without ever having to change a battery. You can purchase a Worry-Free alarm at Walmart, Home Depot, CVS/pharmacy, or online at Amazon.com. For more information, visit WorryFreeAlarm.com.
Images: Kidde. Some info via Kidde.
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