Spring is Here! Time to Practice Your Fire Safety Tips!

Spring is Here! Time to Practice Your Fire Safety Tips!

With spring in full swing, you need to make sure that your family is safe in your rental apartment. One way to do that is by practicing your fire safety tips that you should always have in place. Whether you’re getting ready for a spring BBQ or you’re simply reminding your family of what fire safety in Chicago means, here are a few tips to remember.

• Practice your exit strategy – No one wants to ever consider that a fire may break out in their building. However, it can and does happen at times. Whether an electrical issue or someone left the stove on, it can quickly escalate to a dangerous situation if you’ve not practiced your exit strategy. Make sure that your entire family knows what it means to get out in a hurry. Start by setting a safe place for everyone to meet once they are out of the building. This could be outside on the sidewalk a safe distance from your home, across the street, or by a safe structure that is not near the building. Once they know the spot to go, practice what you’ll do to get out of the building safely. Remember, in a fire you do not need to use elevators. Ensure everyone knows where the stairwells are and how to safely get out if they can’t see through the smoke. While this might seem scary, it is a necessary step to ensure everyone gets out safely.
• Check smoke alarms – Make sure that your smoke alarm batteries are in good working order. Test them each month or at least every time you change the clocks. That’s a good reminder to change out the batteries so you know you can always count on them.
• Fire Extinguisher Maintenance – If you have an extinguisher in your apartment, make sure that it is up to date and that it will work if you need it. You can have them recharged or purchase one you know is in date so you’re ready should something happen inside your apartment itself.
• Go over safety rules – Remind your friends and family to always keep an eye on the stove or oven when they are cooking. Never leave it unattended. Make sure someone is always with a grill if you have one or if you light candles. Be sure that any type of open flame you may have in your Chicago apartment is extinguished before you leave your home.
• Damaged wiring – If you see an appliance or another electrical device you’re using has a damaged wire, unplug it. Either replace the wiring or have it repaired so it is not a fire danger issue any longer. Try to keep things unplugged that is not in use as well.

These are just a few ways you can help your family keep up to date on their fire safety in Chicago. Your apartment can be a safe place to live as long as you’re instilling these safety tips into it. In the case of a fire, you want your family to know what to do, to react just as if they’ve done it before, and everyone to arrive safely at your predesignated spot. By using these tips, you can.