Your home is a place that your family should feel safe. However, natural disasters and emergencies can unexpectedly occur. Make sure you are prepared with these safety essentials for the home.
Home Safety Essentials
With the proper preparations, homeowners can keep their families safe in an emergency. Be ready for any situation with the right tools and essentials.
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Smoke detectors are safety essentials that are taken for granted. Homes and apartment buildings should be equipped with smoke detectors in every bedroom, in common areas, and at the top of staircases. Likewise, carbon monoxide detectors should be placed throughout the building. At least one carbon monoxide detector on every level of the home is recommended.
Fire Extinguishers
Your efforts to protect your family and home from fire shouldn’t end with smoke detectors. Fire extinguishers should be kept in key areas of the home. A fire extinguisher can keep a small cooking blaze from turning into a devastating house fire.
Make sure your fire extinguisher is ready to use by checking its expiration date. Not every fire extinguisher is suitable for every type of fire. Have a Class ABC fire extinguisher that is suitable for multiple types of fires and learn how to use it.
First Aid Kits are Safety Essentials for the Home
First aid kits are an important addition to any home. If someone gets a cut or burn, you will have quick access to band-aids, sterilized materials, antiseptic cream, and other materials for basic wound care.
Escape Ladders
If you live in a multi-story house, it’s important to have escape ladders in case of fire. Escape ladders provide a way out of the home if the hallways are impassable by fire and smoke. Invest in attached ladders for the window wells in the basement. For upper levels, have collapsing ladders for the windows. With easily accessible ladders, everyone in your home will have a better chance of escaping safely during an emergency.
Safety Essentials for the Home: Disaster Kits
A disaster kit should contain everything you and your family members need to survive for a few days. These kits have the supplies you need to get through a natural disaster or emergency.
When creating a disaster kit, make a list of your daily essentials. This will help you decide what to add to your family’s disaster kit. Include three days’ worth of water and non-perishable food for each person and pet, a can opener, a whistle, extra batteries, flashlights, medications, copies of important documents, battery-powered chargers, and cash.
Taking precautions and planning ahead will prepare your household for worst-case scenarios. Use this list of safety essentials to prepare your family for an unexpected emergency.
Reifsteck Home Inspections offers home inspections to Champaign, Illinois, and the surrounding areas. Contact us to request our services.