fire safety | DocChat

Millions of Americans are injured or even killed by preventable household hazards annually. Sometimes it just takes a few safety tweaks to lower the danger level in your home. Some of those tweaks include:

Go flameless – thousands of home fires are started each year by flames from candles that have tipped over or haven’t been properly extinguished. You may not like synthetic flames as much as the real thing, but such a small change could mean the safety of your family and home.
Be step-safe – accidental falls affect over 1 million American adults annually. Many of these falls can be prevented by using extra caution when on the stairs or a ladder, as well as stepping on a dry mat when getting out of the bath or shower.
Minimize the cargo – Falls also commonly happen when people carry too heavy a load of laundry or other items. Carrying lighter loads of laundry (especially when walking up or down stairs) can drastically reduce your chances of a nasty fall inside the home.
Know the numbers – Does everyone in your family know the number for poison control? They should. How about the local fire station or health-line? Aside from 9-1-1, it is good to know (and teach your children) all the safety numbers that could help in a pinch. It is also a good idea to put these numbers in your child’s phone, if they have one.
Childproof the kitchen – There are many measures you can undertake to ensure the safety of your children around the kitchen. Check them out in our post on Kitchen Safety!
Have safety strategies in place – Your family should have emergency plans such as a household evacuation route in case of a fire or other emergency. You should practice these plans occasionally to ensure everyone knows exactly what to do.
Watch the sockets – Unfortunately, around 2,400 children are shocked or burned by electrical outlets annually. So, if you have small children, you may want to invest in socket covers (spring-loaded electrical socket covers that help prevent tampering).
Check water temp – According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 3,800 Americans are scalded by too-hot tap water each year, many of whom are children. It is always a good idea to test the water before jumping into the bath or washing your hands. It is particularly important to test the water before bathing your child. A step further in scald-prevention would be to ensure your water heater is set below 120°F.
Check your alarms – Most people have plenty of functioning fire alarms, but do you also have a carbon monoxide detector? If not, you should invest in a quality one soon to ensure those levels don’t silently (and fatally!) creep too high. You should also periodically ensure you have new batteries in all your detectors and that they are functioning optimally.