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Many fires start in the kitchen. Here are just a few examples of the precautions that you can take to avoid this loss:
- Never leave your stove unattended.
- Fix any electrical appliances that are not working well.
- If you are cooking and your pan catches on fire, immediately turn off the stove and place a cover over the pan.
- Keep metal objects out of the microwave.
- Do not overload the electrical outlets.
- Place the pan handle towards the inside of the stove in order to prevent children from pulling it off the stove.
- In case you suffer from a burn, refresh your skin with cold water. If your burn is severe, cover it with sterile gauze and receive medical attention immediately.
Smoke
Smoke has claimed more lives than fire itself. Therefore, in case of a fire, you must do the following:
- Avoid exits that are full of smoke. If there is no other alternative, crawl on the floor to breathe better air while escaping.
- Touch the door before opening it and, if it is hot, look for another exit.
- Call the fire department as soon as you are able. Be prepared to offer as much information as possible, for example, your address, the intensity of the fire and how far it has spread.
Mitigation
You can also take various measures before, during, and after the fire to minimize the damages to you and your property. For example, don’t forget:
- Make sure all of the family members know what to do in case of a fire.
- Make a map of the house with escape routes from each bedroom and, if you have more than one floor, do one for each floor.
- Make sure the map shows important details like stairs, hallways and windows that can be escape routes and make sure they are clear.
- Select a meeting place after exiting the home.
- Place smoke detectors and fire extinguishers throughout the house and check them to see if they are working properly.
- Exit immediately. Do not try and save your belongings; these can be replaced. Once you are outside never re-enter the home.
Safety information for hurricanes and water damage. |
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