What Are Some Best Practices To Avoid Accidental Fires?

10/16/2023 (Permalink)

According to the National Fire Protection Agency, “most home fires and fire casualties resulted from one of five causes: cooking, heating equipment, electrical distribution, lighting equipment, intentional fire setting, and smoking materials. Over the five-year period of 2016–2020, cooking was the leading cause of home fires and injuries. Smoking materials caused the most home fire deaths.”

Some good news: statistics compiled for home fires and home fire deaths for 2016-2020 show that the number of incidents has been cut in half since 1980, and population-based home fire and home fire death rates have fallen by roughly two-thirds! However, the deaths and injuries per 1,000 reported home fires have remained consistent. 

With this in mind, North Nashville home and business owners know it’s still wise to avoid accidental fires. Let’s talk about some fire safety best practices!

How Can I Avoid Accidental Fires In My North Nashville Location?

Here are some best practices you can use to avoid accidental fires:

• If you must use a space heater, place it on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as ceramic tile floor), not on rugs, carpets, or near bedding or drapes. Plug power cords directly into outlets - never into an extension cord. 
• Keep children, pets, and flammable items (paper, matches, bedding, furniture, clothing, carpets, and rugs) at least three feet away from heating equipment.
• Turn off portable space heaters whenever you leave the room or sleep.
• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended; use a glass or metal fire screen to keep fire and embers in the fireplace.
• Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home.
• If you must smoke, never smoke while sleepy or in bed.
• Remove dead brush and trash from your yard in hot weather, especially when these materials are close to the home or other buildings.

What Do I Do If An Accidental Fire Does Break Out?

If a fire does occur, you’ll call emergency services first. Once the fire is out and everyone is safe, call SERVPRO of North Nashville at (615) 242 9391. We are experts in fire damage restoration!

While you’re waiting for SERVPRO to arrive, follow these tips:

• Limit movement in the home to prevent soot particles from being embedded into upholstery and carpets.
• Keep hands clean so as not to further soil upholstery, walls, and woodwork.
• Place clean towels or old linens on rugs, upholstery, and carpet traffic areas.
• If the electricity is off, empty the freezer and refrigerator and prop the doors open.
• Clean and protect chrome with a light coating of petroleum jelly or oil.
• Wash houseplants on both sides of the leaves.
• Change the HVAC filter.
• Tape double layers of cheesecloth over air registers.

SERVPRO of North Nashville is here to help you if your North Nashville home suffers damage from a fire. In addition to fire damage, we handle water damage, odor removal, and much more. Contact us immediately in an emergency; we can be at your North Nashville location directly to get you started on your fire damage recovery process. 

This franchise is independently owned and operated.