Residential Fire Alarm System Austin
October is National Fire Safety and Prevention Month. Throughout the month, fire departments raise awareness about fire safety and fire prevention methods in communities across the United States. Fire departments dedicate this month to sharing different plans, precautions, and prevention methods that will be useful in the event of unexpected fires.
During October, fire departments ramp up their efforts to share information about the role and responsibilities of local fire departments, different causes of fires, and fire prevention tips. They send firefighters into the community to educate the public via presentations in schools, at health and safety fairs, and other community events. They also offer fire station tours and fire truck exploration opportunities so community members can get an up-close-and-personal glimpse into the life and times of firefighters. Fire departments present fire safety and prevention programs that highlight precautions for prevention, detection and notification, and suppression and control of fires.
Every year the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) sponsors Fire Safety and Prevention Month. The first National Fire Prevention Day was declared in 1922 by President Woodrow Wilson; it grew into a week-long observance and then finally into the lengthier observance it is today. The NFPA lengthened Fire Prevention Week in 2000 establishing it as a month-long observance and solidifying it as the longest-running public safety and health campaign officially on record in the United States. Fire departments kick off the fire safety and prevention campaign at the start of October each year, though most fire departments still tend to concentrate their community outreach efforts during the second week of October (the original timeframe for Fire Prevention Week).
To be prepared for a fire event, first, it is important to think about prevention. You can prepare by adopting different preventative measures, such as having fire safety equipment readily available and easily accessible. Fire safety equipment includes things like smoke alarms and fire extinguishers, which are the most commonly known and recognized fire safety devices; it is important to have these devices at a minimum. Smoke alarms and fire extinguishers must be installed correctly and maintained properly to be useful for preventing the spread of fire or for reducing the number of injuries and deaths resulting from fire events.
Another key thing is to have a fire escape plan at the ready. Preparing an escape plan is essential should there be a fire emergency. Such a plan requires that you assess the entry-and-exit points of your home or business, including doors and windows, to make sure they can be accessed effectively from every room. It also entails setting an outside meeting place at a safe distance from the building; this location is where everyone gathers to make sure everyone escaped the fire. Note: you need to practice using the fire escape plan at least twice a year according to fire safety educators.
Detection and notification of any active fires are also important considerations. Having an operational smoke detector is fundamental because they function as alarms; they sound an early warning of a developing fire, so you have greater odds of escaping. Functioning, properly installed smoke detectors should be in every room (especially sleeping spaces) and on every floor. Smoke detectors are helpful devices on their own, but can be more effective in combination with carbon monoxide detectors; they sound alarms when a dangerous level is present of the odorless, poisonous gas of carbon monoxide, which increases as a fire burns and oxygen dissipates within any enclosed spaced.
Fire suppression and control is crucial in the event that a fire develops. To suppress or control a fire, you need specific equipment; the most common and readily available piece of fire suppression equipment for most people is a fire extinguisher, though automatic fire sprinklers are growing in use as well. Fire extinguishers allow small fires to be smothered completely, or at least contained until the fire department arrives on the scene. Automatic fire sprinklers help smother flames and decrease smoke and heat output from fires. Fire extinguishers and sprinklers are valuable tools for giving individuals some control during a fire event, so they have a greater chance of escaping the danger.
Having a security system with fire controls installed is especially useful as well. A professional home security company can offer monitored security systems that include fire controls. When used as part of a security system, these specialized controls protect against fire hazards by sounding warning alarms to draw attention to smoke and sources of heat that spark fires, and by setting off sprinklers to decrease and snuff out flames and sending a signal to local fire response teams. In combination with smoke detectors, fire controls help safeguard people and property during fire emergencies.
You can be prepared for fire events by taking some simple steps. You need to have smoke and carbon monoxide alarms installed, and to maintain them so they function appropriately should the need arise; you also need to have fire extinguishers on the premises and know how to use them. You should make sure your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are always in working order. For more tips and resources, you can explore the websites of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the National Safety Council (NSC). And if you have questions about fire controls available to you with your home or business security system, Dyezz Surveillance and Security can help. A professional provider of security solutions and fire control systems in Austin, Texas, the expert team is ready to provide information and suggest high-quality products for protection against security threats including fire hazards. Contact Dyezz Surveillance and Security today!
Article written by: Erika Mehlhaff