1.) Become friends with EDITH- No, EDITH isn't a lady. EDITH stands for Exit Drills In The Home. This program encourages families to talk and plan for different types of emergencies which may force them to leave their house. Whether it be a fire, a flood, a Carbon Monoxide alarm, or anything else that may be unsafe for your family, here are some key things you all should know:
-Where are all the exits in your house? You should look at each room individually and consider the possibility of any one exit being blocked and how else you might get out. Commercially bought window ladders are effective ways of making a safe escape from a second story window.
-Where should we meet? Everybody in the family may not be able to go out the same door or window in an emergency. In that case, everyone should know of a predesignated meeting spot outside the house, and a safe distance from any potential hazards. Once you are out of a house, DO NOT go back in for personal belongings or pets. Whether it be a tree, mailbox, swingset, or whatever else you may have near by, your meeting place should be permanent and safe. Telephone poles may not be a good idea because of the chance of downed live wire. Also, driveways should be kept clear for fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.
-Where do we go? After meeting up with your entire family, you need to find some way of contacting 911. In the era of cellular phones, contacting may be much easier, but it is still good to go to a neighbors house in order to keep your family in a safe place and out of the elements. In a rural area such as Knox, you may need to walk a long distance to a neighbor's house. Because emergencies can happen anytime, it may be a good idea to talk to your neighbors, let them know that in an emergency, your family will be looking for help. Make sure you know whether or not they will be home, or at work, or on vacation.
2.) Check your smoke detectors!!! Today, smoke detectors are a requirment in every house. Ideally, one should be placed in every room and hallway. At the very least a smoke detector should be placed on each floor at each end of the house. Also they should be placed in areas where people sleep. Make sure you check the smoke detector EVERY MONTH to make sure its still working and replace the batteries, whether they need to be or no, every six months. If you are looking at installing smoke detectors that are wired into your house's wiring system, make sure it has a battery back up, and don't forget to check those every month, too. Additionally, Carbon Monoxide (CO) detectors are becoming mandatory in houses. These detectors should be checked at the same time as the smoke detectors.
3.) Fire Extinguishers- Every home should have at least one fire extinguisher. High risk areas like the Kitchen, near fire places, the garage, and work areas should have extra extinguishers near by as well. Fire Extinguishers can be bought at most hardware store or through specialty companies. Make sure you purchase the right fire extinguisher for the right type of fire:
-Class A: Good for fighting fires of ordinary materials such as paper, wood, cardboard, fabric, etc.
-Class B: Good for fighting fires of flammable combustables, such as gasoline or kerosene
-Class C: Good for fighting fires of electrical equipment such as outlets, appliances, panal boxes, or power tools
-Class D: Good for fighting fires of Combustable metals, such as magnesium, potasium, and sodium. DO NOT PUT WATER ON BURNING METALS!
-REMEMBER- You can buy fire extinguishers that are a combination of these, and good for multiple fires! |
