Learn how to protect yourself and your family in a house fire

The recent articles I have seen on Ann Arbor.com about local house fires makes me wonder what can be done to help people like myself who have never been in a house fire.

Would I know what to do, where to run, how to help save the lives of my children and my wife?

To learn more, I began searching for information on the Internet and through our local fire department. There are two components that remained consistent throughout my research:

1. Have a plan.

2. Practice the plan.

Photo by dvs' photostream

According to the Department of Homeland Security, more than 4,000 people die in the United States, and another 25,000 are injured annually due to house fires. Many of these incidents could have been prevented with education and a fire-prevention plan.

If you do not have a plan, now is the time to develop one and to gather your family to discuss and practice implementing the plan. Following are my suggestions regarding prevention of house fires and what you can do in the event a fire occurs:

PLANNING

â€¢ Smoke detectors - Ensure the outside of each bedroom has a detector on the ceiling. You should also have one installed at the top and bottom of each stairway ceiling and check them once a month.

â€¢ Electrical - Inspect all extension cords to ensure that they are in good condition. Ensure all plugs and switches have covers. If you have any concerns, call a licensed electrician for a safety inspection.

â€¢ Bedroom - Ensure all windows open properly and are not stuck or painted shut. Sleep with your door closed. A solid wood door can take up to 10 minutes to burn. Never leave flammable liquids such as gasoline, benzine or naptha in your home. A friend had a garage fire caused by just a rag and mineral spirits.

PRACTICE

â€¢ Teach your family to crawl on the floor during a fire. Most deaths occur from smoke inhalation rather than from burns.

â€¢ Practice as if it were a real fire and how you would escape from each room in the house. If you have rooms on the second floor, consider getting escape ladders.

â€¢ Lastly, have a common place to meet outside to ensure everyone got out of the house safely.

I feel so strongly about this that I have planned and practiced this fire safety prevention this week with my family to ensure that if there was a fire, my son, daughter and wife now have increased their chance of escaping injury or death. Shouldn’t you do the same?

Keith Paul is a state of Michigan licensed builder. He serves as president and founding member of HandyPro Handyman Service and nationally franchised HandyPro International. Listen to Paul every Saturday at 11 a.m. on “It’s Your Home, Let’s Talk About It” WAAM Talk 1600AM. E-mail your home improvement questions to kpaul@handypro.com.