Fire safety for North georgia and the tennessee valley

FIRE SAFETY FOR NORTH GEORGIA AND THE TENNESSEE VALLEY

With fall quickly approaching we want to make sure our clients and friends know just how important it is to have fire safety plans in place. According to the Red Cross home fires can happen at any time, but they generally increase during the fall and winter, with December and January being the peak months. Home fires are also more common on Saturday and Sunday, and tend to peak between 6:00 and 7:00 PM.
Many families do not have a fire safety plan and don’t realize just how important it can be. Here at Hernandez Roofing we want to make sure you stay safe so here are few answers to some frequently asked questions. 
How can I prepare for a potential home fire? The most important and critical step is to make sure your home has working smoke alarms. According to the Red Cross smoke alarms should be installed outside each sleeping area and on each level of your home. If you and your family sleep with the doors closed, install smoke alarms inside sleeping areas, too. You also have to make sure that smoke alarms are maintained. This means checking them at least once a year and making sure to change the batteries once a year as well. In 2005, the NFPA reported that 74 percent of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. 
Why do I need a fire escape plan? It is very important that your family have a fire escape plan because fires can ignite and spread very quickly. This leaves people with very little time to escape. 
How can I create a fire escape plan? According to the Red Cross you can begin by determining at least two ways to escape from every room of your home. For floors above ground level, escape ladders should be stored near the window. Also, make sure to select a central location at a safe distance from your home where family members can meet after escaping. After creating and discussing your plan with all members of your household, the Red Cross recommends that you practice your plan at least twice a year. According to Ready.gov, 71% of Americans have an escape plan in case of a fire, but only 47% of those have practiced it.
If a fire happens, can I go back into my home if I’ve forgotten something? This is a question that comes up quite often. Many of the deaths associated with home fires come from people going back into their homes to get something. Fires can spread very quickly and can be extremely dangerous and deadly once ignited. Once you are safely out of your home you should not go back in.  If someone hadn’t already called the fire department you should call them or get a neighbor to call them and they will be on the scene quickly.
How can I learn more about fire preparedness? Visit www.redcross.org/homefires or contact your local Red Cross chapter
Hernandez Roofing and Construction does not want your family to experience a home fire but if you do we always want you to know how to be prepared and stay safe.

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