How to Save Yourself from Home Fire

Posted on: Jan 25, 2022 | | Written by:

How to Save Yourself from Home Fire

Published on February 8, 2022. EST READ TIME: 3 minutes

Your home is indubitably where your heart is and you are sure to go to any extent to protect it and its dwellers, your loved ones from any sort of danger. Mishaps like fire breakouts can occur anytime and will leave you with much less time to act than you may possibly imagine. Whether it is from a gas leakage or due to a careless activity of lit-up cigars, a fire at home can destroy everything in a jiffy. While the Standard Fire and Special Perils Policy from HDFC ERGOcan come of immense financial help at such critical moments, it is better to be safe beforehand than to repent later.

Here are some tips to be safe in case of a fire breakout or prevent one

1. Put up Smoke Detectors-

Smoke detectors come extremely handy in case of a fire. Ideally, smoke detectors should be set up at every corner of your house and test whether they are functioning properly every month. At times your fire alarms may not give you a warning beep in case of a dip in the battery life, so it is advisable to check them once a month and change the batteries at least once in 6 months. Remember, smoke alarms have been found to have reduced the risk of death due to fire by almost 50 percent.

2. Watch your appliances-

Fire breakouts happen mostly from heaters, gases, chimneys, grills and fireplaces. In order to ensure that they are in perfect working condition and not malfunctioning, it is imperative to get them serviced at least once a year. Do remember to switch off and take off the plugs immediately after use to avoid any kind of short circuit or accidental overheating issues.

3. Close bedroom doors-

When you are inside your bedroom, there are higher chances of escaping a fire that has broken out in any other part of your home. Hence, it is better to put up an alarm outside your bedroom as well as inside so that you are aware of a fire when you are inside and take action accordingly.

4. Set up an exit plan-

An exit plan encompassing multiple or different exit routes from different rooms should be devised so that all family members can exit in case of a fire from individual rooms. Write or chalk it out and discuss it with everyone in the house, especially the children so that everyone is aware and knows just the way to come out in case of a fire. Also, decide on a common spot outside the house where all of you can gather after escaping. Practice the plan at least once in a few months or when you think of changing the batteries of the fire alarm.

5. Purchase a Fire Ladder-

Fire ladders may come as ropes or chains with metal steps and are easily available in home repair stores. If you live on higher levels of multi-storied buildings, fire ladders are a must.

6. Exit first, then call emergency number-

It may be a common notion of calling the emergency number while you are still inside the house in case of a fire breakout. However, contrary to this, it is advisable to first leave the house and then call the emergency number to give your location and other details. That way you will be in a better position of not panicking. It may not be wise to focus on anything else while you escape the fire.

7. Never re-enter a burning home-

Once you are out of your house when it is on fire, do not act impulsively and think of re-entering it, even if you remember important things that you would not want to get destroyed. This may lead to fatalities. Life is precious, so be safe yourself and keep your dear ones protected, other things can be taken care of.

8. Never leave a burning candle in a room by itself-

Candles are a part of many celebrations and also are a quick source of light in case of a fire outage. However, candles, when left unattended have been seen to have caused fire in many cases. Keep a close watch on the candles even if you are lighting them for a purpose and be sure to extinguish them if you are not around. Moreover, never keep a candle or any incense stick burning if you are leaving the house.

9. Don't sleep with space heaters-

Space heaters, while useful, are liable to cause fires easily. At night, they may just come in contact with the bed sheets or blankets or may even cause overheating when you fall off to sleep. Hence, it is always suggested to switch them off before you retire for the night.

10. Get a fire extinguisher-

Finally, a fire extinguisher outside your house in case you are living in an apartment or one inside the house at every level is of utmost necessity. The ones with an ABC label make them usable for any kind of fire. You should also know and practice using one in case there is a need to do so.

Conclusion

Keeping these small things in mind and being cautious as a family may help you keep yourself and your close ones safe from any kind of fire mishap. With HDFC ERGO’s Standard Fire and Special Perils Policy, you can be rest assured that your important things are covered and taken care of without any hassle.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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