According to a news report published in Dhaka Tribune, the number of fire incidents in Bangladesh has tripled over the last 22 years and in 2018 alone an average of 53 fire incidents occurred daily!! Being aware of fire hazards and following simple precautionary practices at your home can help you from adding to that number.
Here are a few simple things you can do to protect your home and loved ones from fire hazards:
Install and test your smoke alarms
Install smoke alarms from a reputed manufacturer in areas like bedrooms, living rooms and test the batteries once every month. If you find they are not working properly, change them at the earliest.
You can also install smart gas detectors in the kitchen which can alert you through your smartphone and save your home and loved ones in case there is any gas leakage.
Clear the space near the stove and oven
Sometimes while working in the kitchen, you can carelessly leave inflammable stuff lying around the stove. Make sure that you do not store anything flammable close to the stove or oven as they can spontaneously catch fire. Keep the area free of curtains or other fabrics like napkins or cooking gloves.
Do not leave the kitchen unattended
When you are working in the kitchen, do not leave the stove unattended while cooking for long periods of time. Always leave someone else to monitor the stove in your absence from time to time. This is especially important if you have kids at home. Close the kitchen door if you must go out of the room.
If you are leaving home, check that you have turned off the stove property to avoid any mishaps.
Replace worn out cords
From time to time, make sure you check the condition of cords and keep an eye out for worn out wires. Immediately call electric professionals to repair or replace cords with frayed wires. Since electrical cords can generate heat, do not leave them under a rug or between wall and furniture.
Be careful with candles or other flammable objects
With power outage a common problem in Dhaka especially with summer around the corner, lighting candles in our home is almost a daily ritual. Make sure you do not leave the room with the candle lit. Keep the candle away from curtains or books or anything that can catch fire easily. Also make sure the candles are placed on surfaces that cannot be reached easily by children.
If you use mosquito coils in your household, take the same precaution as with candles. And do not leave cigarette lighters, match sticks lying around if you have kids in the house as they can be curious enough to play with fires and cause fire accidents.
Store flammable products properly
We all have a plethora of household items and products that are highly flammable like shaving cream, aerosol sprays, and cosmetic products and so on. Store these items in places that are cool, away from heat sources, including the sunrays. It is best if you can store them in a safe, designated cupboard which cannot be easily accessed by children.
Keep fire extinguishers handy
Make sure you have fire extinguishers in fire-prone areas of your home like the kitchen. Having a fire extinguisher alone is not enough; you also need to make sure all members of the home, including support staff like the caretaker, security guard know how to operate the fire extinguisher in times of emergency.
A fire hazard can be extremely devastating not only monetarily but also emotionally. However, with awareness and following simple practices, you can minimize the risk of fire in your home.