KID FIRE SAFETY- BE PREPARED!

8/3/2018 (Permalink)

Fire damage in a Signal Hill home

You may know what to do during a fire, but do your children? SERVPRO of Downtown Long Beach/Signal Hill has faced countless losses in homes and businesses due to fire damage so we want families to be prepared. With school coming back in session soon, it's important to make sure that your kids are educated on fire safety. You never want to leave your kids home alone without the proper fire safety education and since you can't predict a fire emergency, fire safety education is key. Here are some important items to remember: 

Make sure that you educate your children on what a smoke alarm looks and sounds like. Make sure they can recognize when a fire alarm has gone off and what to do when an alarm has sound. Know two or more routes to exit your home/school during a fire as well as a meeting point away from the location a safe distance from the fire. The American Red Cross suggests "Practice your fire escape plan at least twice a year and at different times of the day. Practice waking up to smoke alarms, low crawling, and meeting outside." It is crucial your children also know how to dial 9-1-1. 

When making sure your home is up to fire safety standards, make sure to have escape ladders on the upper levels so that you can escape from windows to safety. The American Red Cross also suggests "use quick-release devices on barred windows and doors. Security bars without release devices can trap you in a deadly fire. If you have security bars on your windows, be sure one window in each sleeping room has a release device." It is important to make your children aware of which windows have quick releases on them and how to use them properly. Also have fire extinguishers readily available, and up-to-date and, at minimum, in the kitchen, garage and on the upper levels. 

It's never too soon to start teaching your kids how to be prepared during an emergency, including fires, as they often occur in the home. SERVPRO of Downtown Long Beach/Signal Hill is open 24/7 in case an emergency strikes. We are dedicated to helping restore your residence to pre-disaster conditions, making it “Like it never even happened”.