Fire prevention week runs from October 9th through the 15th this year, and learning how to avoid accidentally creating a fire within your home is crucial. Fires are dangerous and can cause bodily harm and massive damage to your home or workplace.
Avoid starting a fire by following these five tips to prevent fires:
Make Sure All Fire Alarms are Properly Working & Maintained
One very commonly overlooked fire prevention technique is checking your fire alarms regularly. Fire alarms should always be in working order and inspected at least once a month to ensure the batteries are still working. Consider installing hardwired alarms with battery backup for an added layer of protection.
Many homes only have a few fire alarms to maintain, but this is often overlooked in the workplace. If a fire starts within your workplace, you have the right to see fire alarm maintenance logs. If anything was missed or ignored, contact our personal injury attorney for help.
Never Leave a Hot Stove Unattended
A hot stove could easily lead to a fire if you aren’t careful. The only way to ensure your stove doesn’t cause a fire while food is cooking is to be present and alert. Never leave the hot stove unattended; always double-check it is off before leaving the home.
Never Smoke Indoors
Smoking indoors is a significant fire hazard. Ashes from cigarettes can fall onto the ground and easily spark a fire wherever they land. Always smoke outdoors on concrete, asphalt, dirt, or other non-flammable area.
Keep Your Grill at Least 10 Feet from Your Home
Texans love a good BBQ, but a house fire may ruin the fun. Grills get very hot, and when kept too close to your house, they can easily catch onto something and spark up a fire. Hot coals from the fire inside the grill may also pop out and create a full-blown house fire if they go undetected.
Inspect Heating Sources Regularly
Heating sources, such as furnaces and hot water heaters, within your home are another fire hazard. Double-check that they are working correctly on a regular basis. Reduce the chances of starting a fire and creating a burn injury by inspecting your heating sources regularly and properly maintaining the equipment.
Contact Shaw Cowart
The most efficient way to avoid a burn injury from starting a fire within your home or workplace is to know and practice fire prevention strategies year-round, not just during fire prevention week. However, even the most fastidious and cautious among us cannot always avoid being injured when a fire is started beyond our control. If you have suffered a burn injury and you suspect someone else’s negligence played a role, please call us at 512-499-8900 to schedule your free initial consultation today. We maintain offices in Austin and San Antonio. We serve the entire state of Texas.