Seasonal Check: Fire Safety

While working on my fall checklist, and thinking about the upcoming heating season, it crossed my mind that I hadn't checked on the fire extinguisher in... oh... three years?

A quick trip to the laundry room and sure enough, empty.  Probably been empty for quite some time too.  We were already walking that unsafe line of only having one in a two story home with attached garage. 

So guess what got added to my shopping list for my next run to the hardware store?  Three brand new fire extinguishers!

Fire safety should really always be on our minds.  I'm guilty.  I know it.  I strive to improve.  When you consider that a grease fire can burn down your house, or a bad wire, or even a malfunctioning toaster.... It should make you a little nervous.  I hope everyone out there isn't thinking that it'll never happen to them.  Because we all know that that's the most dangerous thought process you can have.

While you are looking at whether or not your fire extinguisher is any good (and I hope you at least had one!), let's not forget smoke alarms.

I like to think I'm not the only one who forgets the monthly (or quarterly) checks of the smoke alarms.  With all the work we've been doing on the house, somewhere in my mind I'd missed the fact that we had just one smoke alarm left. 

I did check it though.

And of course, the batteries are dead.

Realistically, one smoke alarm is just not enough.  I counted it up and it looks like at bare minimum I need 9, but can get by with 6 until the remodelling in a few rooms is finished. 

That's a few more items for the list.

Of course, we do have a bedroom on the second story that could easily be blocked by fire.  The room has a window, although not a very large one.  I think for the sake of doing things right I'm going to get another small fire extinguisher for that room and a fire ladder.  (And a smoke alarm, but that's part of the six I already counted).

I think that will cover us. 

I know I had added all that to my list for next time, but the more that I think about it, the more I think that today might be the perfect time for a trip to town...

Be safe!