Ever conducted a fire drill in your home? Firefighters recommend that you should do it at least twice per year. Teach your family how to contain small fires. But if it’s spreading quickly, show them how to hit for the emergency exit safely.
Additionally, teach the young members of your family how to call for emergency assistance. But don’t stop there. Invest in the following fire emergency preparation supplies. They might save your family one day.
A Fire Blanket
A regular woolen blanket can contain small fires when wet. But you know what’s better? A blanket designed specifically to contain fires. Some blankets target kitchen fires and will help you prevent fire from spreading to the rest of your house.
Some blankets are more powerful and can help contain stubborn battery fires. These are excellent for people with electric cars. Buy a few fire blankets and keep in them different rooms.
If you have an electric car or go to the woods regularly, store an extra fire blanket in your car. Read fire blanket reviews to compare different blankets. Consider the size, price, and amount of heat a blanket can withstand before you make your final decision.
A Smoke Detector
Smoke detectors need no introduction. They’re common all over the world. If you move into a house without this device, get on your favorite shopping store and order one.
Smoke detectors do what exactly their name suggests. They detect smoke and sound an alarm to alert everyone in the house that there’s a sign of fire and it should be put out.
Smoke detectors are generally cheap. They cost as little as $10 for battery-powered models. However, some of them can be expensive. This is especially true for aspirated detectors that analyze air particles in your home to detect an abnormal increase in heat or smoke.
Forcible Exit Tools
When your house catches fire, the best decision is to exit and call the fire department. But what if you can’t access your door? This is where forcible breakage tools come in handy.
Many fire experts recommend that you keep an axe in your house. It might be a hammerhead, flathead, or pick-head axe. An axe is excellent for breaking glass, grills, or even the rooftop—if it’s your only emergency exit.
Besides buying an axe, consider investing in a roof hook, drywall hook, or talon hook. All these tools do one thing—they help you create an emergency exit where there is none.
First Aid Kit
Fire burns are the worst. A small flame on your hand could leave a permanent scar. Fortunately, you can minimize the effects of fire burns by using a couple of items in your first aid kit.
To prepare for fire emergencies, ensure your first aid kit has distilled water you could use to clean wounds. Also, keep eyewash in there to help you see visibly amid the smoke.
Additional must-have items in your kit include scissors, plasters, safety pins, tweezers, wipes, sterile gloves, and a first aid manual. The manual could help your kids figure out how to use different items in the kit when the need arises.
A Rope
If you live in an apartment, a rope could be your only way to exit the building safely. This is because the fire might have spread to the elevator and stairway. And you might not have the luxury to wait for the fire department to rescue you.
That being said, ropes are not created equal. If you want a rope that could help save your life, buy a fire emergency rope. This rope is usually 10-12mm thick and up to 50m long.
The best ropes come with a hook to help you slide safely without hurting your hands. Rescue ropes can be expensive, though. So, only buy this item if you’re certain you would need a rope if fire caught your home.
Water, Snacks, and Sanitation Tools
Imagine camping with your family in the woods only to be trapped from the outside wild by a wildfire. If you’re like many people, the first thing you will do is call for help.
If you can’t get assistance for more than a day, you will need water, food, and sanitation. This is why you should always have supplies to last you longer than you anticipate while camping.