We can be a forgetful lot, us humans. Just think about it –barely a day goes by when you don’t lose your keys or misplace your mobile.
But, remember that fire safety advert from a few years ago?
It begins with a guy sitting on the toilet suddenly realising he’s forgotten to buy loo roll. Cut to a woman forgetting to pick up some vital ingredients for a meal she’s preparing. Then, cut to the clincher – a man covered in tears and ash stares at a crumbling wreck of a home. He forgot to install a fire alarm.
While it might seem like an ad specifically designed to inject you with fear, its message is true –fire can come at any time, and it makes no exceptions for forgetfulness.
Being conscious of your fire safety could very literally save lives, so take these precautions to avoid suffering at the hands of the flames.
Be fool-proof with fireproofing
The great downfall for many buildings is non-fireproofed walls, leaving homes and businesses vulnerable to fast-spreading flames.
With companies such as Durasteel, who provide high-quality blast-proof walls, ceilings and floors, you could have protection for up to four hours, allowing ample time for the fire brigade to arrive and fight the flames.
Raise the alarm
That aforementioned government advert was right on the money – buying a smoke alarm could mean the difference between endangering lives and saving them.
Emitting a high-pitched noise to alert residents of a potential fire, smoke alarms are the number one defence in fire protection, so make sure your home has one today.
Figure out the great escape
You don’t have to be Steve McQueen to devise a great escape plan if a fire breaks out.
While the obvious exits might be the best options, try to figure out how you might leave if, say, the front door was being obstructed. That way, you’ll have every possibility covered, and a safe route of passage.
Give your home a de-clutter
While it might not seem like the most obvious tip, keeping your home spick and span will make a clean escape easy and efficient should a fire break out.
Just picture the scene – smoke and flames erupt from the living room and, as you rush for the door, you trip over the bike you left in the hall, barely escaping through the clutter as the deadly orange snaps at your heels.
It’s not ideal, is it? To avoid such calamitous events, keep your humble abode free of mess , allowing you to leave at a steady place instead of clambering over clutter.
Featured Image Credit: fire break glass on wall/ShutterStock
