7 Fire Safety Tips

Welcome back. Thank you for joining me today. It’s the holiday season and that means lots of lights, candles, decorations and cooking. Who doesn’t love all those things?

While these are all fun and festive, it’s important to keep in mind your safety. Many of those things are the leaders in accidental home fires. I want you and all your loved ones to be safe this holiday season and the rest of the year. I have a list of tips to help protect your home and your family from fires.

1. Change the batteries in your smoke alarms. There is a new fire alarm that has a special warranty battery in it that you don’t need to change for 10 years. Look into setting those up in your home.
2. Never leave cooking unattended. I’ve seen a lot of fires started by cooking something low in the oven and leaving for church, or heating up a pan of grease and leaving the room.
3. Never leave candles unattended. Kids, pets and even just a breeze can knock a candle over.
4. Have multiple fire extinguishers in your home. The two most important areas are the laundry room and kitchen.
5. Arrange a family meeting place. Set a designated spot your family will meet in case of emergencies, that way you can get a headcount and immediately leave.
6. Teach your children fire safety. Make sure your children know to check doorknobs before opening doors, go out the second window rather than trying to jump across flames.
7. NEVER go back into a fire. Do not reenter your home to collect items; this is dangerous and potentially fatal.

These are seven simple tips, but they could ultimately save your life, your families’ lives and your home. If you have any questions, please give me a call. Thanks for watching and have a safe holiday season!

Bill Barker
Liberty Mutual Insurance
703-229-9128
William.Barker@libertymutual.com