Spring Fire Safety Tips for your Apartment

Spring Fire Safety Tips for your Apartment

A fire can easily break out in an apartment building and place hundreds of people at risk. When living in an apartment, it is important to learn all you can about Chicago fire safety. With spring fire safety tips, you can make sure that you are prepared if a fire were to take place. Below are a few tips that are sure to help you and others safely exit the premises if a fire occurs.

Have Safety Measures in Place

To begin, you want to have safety measures in place. Your apartment should have smoke detectors inside as well as in the hallway of your building. The apartment manager should provide these for you. It is important to check with the apartment staff to ensure new batteries are placed in the smoke detectors and that they are functioning properly. This way, if a fire were to occur, you would be alerted.

Have a fire extinguisher in your apartment to handle fires that might spring up while cooking or due to other circumstances. You can easily have a small fire extinguisher on hand for this issue. Your building should also have a fire extinguisher on each floor that should be accessible to you.

Know Your Exits

In your apartment building, know your exits. Familiarize yourself with every exit on your floor. There should be an elevator as well as stairwells. When a fire takes place, you should take the stairs to get to safety. Be sure you know each exit in your building. In some cases, you may have access to more than one staircase. This will come in handy if a fire blocks one exit. Exit areas should be clearly located so you have no trouble locating them during a fire. This can include lights or sounds to help you find the area in case of smoke or fire.

Set a Safe Location

When it comes to Chicago fire safety, have a safe location outdoors where you will meet family, friends or neighbors who live in your building in case of a fire. This could be a spot at the end of the block or across the street. Having a plan will help you to meet up with others if a fire were to occur instead of searching for each other while the flames are being put out.

Check Electrical Cords

When living in an apartment, you may have several items plugged into electrical outlets. Be sure to practice precaution when using cords and electronics. Do not overload any outlets. This can lead to a fire in the home. Each month, check commonly used outlets and cords to ensure there are breakages in the wiring or signs of issues. This can help you to avoid a fire in the home.

Invest in a Fire Escape Kit

Another option you can use is a fire escape kit. Purchase this kit for your home as an added safety precaution. The kit can include a fire mask, gloves, and a heat reflective blanket. This gives you an added safety measure when living in an apartment building.