The fall and winter months are a great time to review fire safety. A number of issues around the holidays can affect fire safety in your home, so take the time to sit down with your family and discuss ways to prevent fire and burn injury.
Specifically, you will want to:
Across the country, every 60 seconds or so there is a fire serious enough to require a call to the emergency services. Fires cause devastating injury and damage in Hollywood and across South Florida each year. They can cause smoke inhalation—serious enough to cause life-long injury, burns, property damage, and even fatalities.
Fires can be caused by defective appliances and electronics, and in fact each year products liability claims in South Florida and Hollywood are filed for this reason. Fires can also be caused by arson or intentional acts or by improper use or storage of fuels, barbecues, and other household items.
In many cases, after a fire, natural disaster, serious storm, or other catastrophe, personal injuries can occur if homeowners are not prepared. According to the Florida Department of Health, every homeowner and tenant needs a disaster preparedness kit. This kit should contain everything you need to keep you and your family safe after a fire or other disaster.
When preparing your kit, consider what you will need. Write down everything you may require for 72 hours or so – the typical amount of time you may need to survive without basic services before they are reestablished. Write down everyone who may be in your family or who may be visiting your home at the time of the disaster and ensure you have enough provisions or everyone on your list.
While you’re making Thanksgiving plans, make sure you make plans for a safe holiday, too. Thanksgiving guests, food, and preparations can mean a risk of fire, accidents, and food-borne illness. Here’s how to keep everyone safe:
Plan your holiday menu before Thanksgiving so you understand how long you need to cook foods so they’re safe. In addition, you need to do three things before the big day to make sure your food preparation area is safe:
Now that fall is here, Florida residents will want to take steps to keep themselves safe. While South Florida is fortunate enough not to be affected by early snow or cold temperatures, safety is still important. The region’s tornado season doesn’t end for a few weeks yet and with cooler temperatures slowly but surely approaching, there are a few things you might want to do:
It doesn’t usually get cooler in South Florida until later in the year, but if you like to stay cozy around the holidays, you’ll want to get service for your fireplaces, space heaters, and furnaces now. Since it’s not busy season yet, you’ll likely be able to get a technician fairly easily.
Summer often means an increased risk of fires. Dry, hot conditions combined with more people taking time to grill or to set up an outdoor fire can all lead to dangerous conditions. Even overusing your air conditioner can pave the way for fires. To stay safe this summer, there are several things you’ll want to do:
HVAC and air-conditioning systems can put a big strain on your electrical system. The last thing you want is your system producing sparks or flames because it is overworked or has not been updated in too long. If you notice flickering lights or other signs of wiring problems, consult with an electrician. When using your air conditioner, check to make sure that it does not overheat and keep flammables (such as curtains) away from the unit.
According to authorities, Southwest Florida is experiencing weather conditions that could make brush fire season potentially more dangerous. Low humidity conditions may make things more comfortable in Florida heat, but they can also turn one spark into a huge fire – especially in windy weather.
If you want to prevent property damage and burn injuries in your Miami or Florida home, authorities have several tips:
Starting at the beginning of this year, Florida has new smoke detector laws. Under the new laws, smoke alarms in homes need to use either permanent batteries or electricity. Permanent batteries are ones that last ten years and are tamper-proof. Before the law change, remodeled and new homes had to use electricity-powered smoke alarms.
According to fire fighters, legislators, and authorities, the new law is aimed at reducing fire-related fatalities and burns in Miami and across Florida. One of the problems with traditional battery-powered alarms is that the alarms can easily be disabled. In many house fires resulting in serious injury and fatalities, fire fighters report that homes have smoke detectors but those detectors are not working. In some cases, smoke detectors are triggered by cooking and residents remove the batteries to prevent false alarms. In other cases, residents fail to notice that batteries have died or are not working correctly. In the event of a fire, these issues can be deadly since they can mean that a detector does not alert residents in time.
Florida has many mobile homes, in part because some families buy these affordable options as a home and in part because these manufactured homes can be an affordable way to enjoy a second, vacation property. Residents who live out of state also buy affordable mobile homes for wintering in Florida.
Mobile homes in Florida must be manufactured to comply with the latest U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations, which were updated in 1994. In addition, all mobile homes must be installed to comply with Rule Chapter 15C-1, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.). Despite these strict regulations to keep homeowners safer, residents living in these properties may be more vulnerable to injuries from tornadoes, fires, and other disasters in some cases. If you own this type of property, here’s how to stay safer:
Cooking is a big part of the holiday season, whether you are trying out new recipes printed in glossy magazines or are making tried-and-true family favorites. While the smells of cookies and other goodies baking is wonderful, cooking for the holidays does pose hazards, including burn injury hazards in your Homestead home as well as fire and food-borne illness dangers.
To make your cooking delicious and safe, make sure to follow these safety tips:
Smoke detectors are essential to keep you and your family safe. Make sure the one in your kitchen works, so that if there is a fire you have the best chance of getting out safely.
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