October is fire safety month, which makes it the perfect time to plan what you and your family should do in case there is a fire at your home.
According to the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), house fires are most commonly caused by cooking and heating equipment. (link to: https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/News-and-Research/Fire-statistics/Fact-sheets/HomesFactSHeet.pdf ) The Minnesota State Fire Code requires that residential smoke alarms be placed in every bedroom of a home, outside each sleeping area in the vicinity of the bedrooms and on each additional story of the home, including basements and habitable attics. Smoke alarms should also be tested often, and batteries should be replaced annually.
During Fire Safety Month, it’s a good idea to plan an escape route for your family that includes two ways out of every room in the house. A meeting place should also be designated so that everyone knows where to go after they get out and can make sure each person got out safe.
WH Security also recommends holding fire drills, especially if you have young children so they know what to do when they hear a fire alarm. In scary situations, some kids instinctively hide instead of evacuating, so it’s important that they know what to do and practice regularly.
To help protect you and your home from fire damage, WH Security offers monitored smoke and fire sensors that are connected to your home security system. Because these sensors are monitored, you’ll know if a fire occurs at your home whether you’re there to hear the alarm or not. These sensors are designed to detect the presence of smoke and/or a significant increase in temperature. If either of these situations occur, an audible alarm will go off immediately and dispatchers will be contacted. The dispatchers will notify you and the fire department of the situation, so action can be taken.
Smoke and fire sensors can be added onto most home security systems and do not increase WH Security’s monthly monitoring cost. They’re a small investment that can protect you, your home and valuables from a potentially devastating fire. Monitored smoke sensors are a direct link to the fire department and protect you when you are home, and when you are not.