Reduce your risk of a house fire
Your home is your haven, a place of comfort and security. But in one respect, it may hold hazards you haven’t thought much about. “People feel safest from fires when they’re at home, but in reality, that’s where they are at greatest risk,” says Susan McKelvey of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
Every year, firefighters respond to some 353,000 house fires, primarily caused by cooking, space heaters, and faulty wiring. And with the prevalence of synthetic building materials and furnishings, combined with open floor plans, today’s fires burn faster than ever. “Together, these things create an ideal environment for fires to grow and spread quickly,” McKelvey says. Luckily, there are preventive measures and simple maintenance tasks that can make your home significantly more firesafe.
PUT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN THE KITCHEN
To lower the risk of a cooking fire, keep the cooktop clean, grease-free, and clear of clutter. If one does break out, don’t douse it with water; if grease or oil has caught fire, water will only spread the flames. Instead, turn off the heat source and cover the flames with a
