Fire Safety in Your Home

Fire departments respond to about 358,300 home fires per year resulting in an average of 2,560 deaths and 12,720 injuries. The leading causes of these fires are cooking, heating units, candles, smoking and children playing with dangerous materials. Use the tips in this article to help keep your home and family safe.

Protect your home and loved ones

Prepare and practice a fire escape plan with your family.

Teach your children never to play with matches, lighters or fireworks, and keep these items out of their reach.

Install smoke alarms in every area of your home and test the batteries each month.

Store matches, lighters and flammable materials out of the reach of children.

In the kitchen

Limit distractions and never leave a stove unattended.

Ensure cooking surfaces are clean and use a timer to avoid burning foods.

Never throw water directly on a grease or electrical fire.

Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

Heating and fireplaces

Inspect heating equipment and have chimneys cleaned annually.

Turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.

Secure a screen on your fireplace and ensure the flame is extinguished before leaving home or going to sleep.

Always have an adult present when a fireplace is burning.

Place portable heaters or fireplaces on a sturdy surface and at a safe distance away from flammable material.

Candle safety

Keep candles at least one foot away from flammable material and out of reach from children and pets.

Extinguish candles before leaving a room or going to bed.

Use candleholders that are non-flammable and will not tip or allow wax to drip.

NJM Insurance Group’s Commitment to Safety

NJM’s enduring commitment to safety can be traced back to our earliest days — with a focus that has expanded from improving conditions in manufacturing facilities to helping keep customers safe on the roads and at home. NJM is a leader in personal and commercial auto, homeowners, and workers’ compensation insurance.

References:

“Fire Causes & Risks,” http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/by-topic/safety-in-the-home.
“Fire Safety,” https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/emergency-preparedness/fire-safety.
“Candle Fires,” https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/atg/PDF_s/Preparedness___Disaster_Recovery/Disaster_Preparedness/Home_Fire/FireCandleFactSheet.pdf.
“Avoid Electrical Fires at Home,” https://safeelectricity.org/avoid-electrical-fires-home.
“Hard Facts About Fire Safety,” https://www.safekids.org/safetytips/field_age/little-kids-1%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%934-years/field_risks/fire.