11/19/2013
The following information is provided by the National Fire Protection Administration (NFPA)
Summer is leaving and Fall has arrived, bringing cooler weather and falling leaves. It is the perfect time to get your home ready for those winter months. Many people don’t realize that their homes are at a greater risk of fire during the winter. This is why Fall fire safety tips can help home owners prepare their homes and protect their families.
Fall Fire Safety Tips
•Clean out your chimney. A deposit called creosote can build up in your chimney from smoke and can start fires.
•Create a defensible space around your home by keeping trees a minimum of 30 feet away.
•Leaves should be cleaned up to limit fuel for a fire.
•Never park your car or truck over a pile of leaves. The heat from the vehicle’s exhaust system can ignite the leaves below.
•Check all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they work, and change the batteries.
•Have a fire extinguisher that is useable, ready and available at all times.
Hoarding fire dangers
Hoarding is a psychological disorder in which a person “collects” and keeps many things, ranging from animals to items others might consider trash. Hoarders perceive these collections to be of worth, and that they are somehow “saving” the items from going to waste.
•Hoarding is a fire hazard.
•In the event of a fire, clutter can cause blocked exits that would prevent escape from the home.
•People who hoard within the home are at high risk of being injured when they trip over things or when materials fall on them.
•During a fire, responding firefighters can be put at risk due to obstructed exits, falling objects, and excessive fire loading that can lead to structural collapse.
•Neighbors living adjacent to a hoarded home can be quickly affected when a fire occurs, due to excessive smoke and fire conditions.
