Tag Archive for: fire safety at home

It’s the season to get outside, take a break from the pressures of life, and enjoy your home and family.

As you make the most of the weather, however, be aware of a few seasonal safety issues that summer can bring. Look out for these five dangers and don’t let them cloud your summer.

1: Burglaries increase by up to 11 percent in summer

Between longer daylight hours, homeowners going on holiday and more people being outside, summer is a burglar’s favorite season. Research by the DoJ confirms that you’re most likely to be burgled or have something stolen from outside your home during the summer months.

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2: Home playground equipment is a factor in 200,000 injuries every year.

While kids are remarkable in their ability to dust off a bump or a bruise, home playground equipment can pose more serious dangers. Take these steps to ensure that things stay fun around your playhouse, swingset or trampoline.

  • Give your outdoor play equipment an annual inspection. Check for sharp edges, loose bolts, platforms or guardrails, and clear any tripping hazards.
  • Most injuries occur from falls to the ground. Consider installing mulch or rubber mats around your play equipment to lessen the impact of a fall.
  • Always keep an eye on small children using outdoor play equipment. If your kids like to slip outside without asking you, a contact sensor on your back door is a wise idea.

3: 48% of swimming pool injuries occur at residential locations

Your pool is a huge source of summer fun, but it comes with new opportunities for kids to slip, trip, or worse. To enjoy your pool safely, think like a lifeguard (a whistle is optional) and set some rules.

Summer Safety Pool

  • Learn pool safety together and enforce it. Make sure that kids have proper floating devices if they’re new to swimming. And always ensure that a supervising adult is present when children are in the pool.
  • To avoid slips and falls on wet surfaces, teach your kids not to run and chase each other around the pool.
  • Set ground rules that specify when your pool is off-limits. A fence and gate are essential to keep kids out when you’re not there. For extra awareness, attach a contact sensor to get an alert if the gate is opened. Alarm.com’s smarter video alerts can also help.

4: One-third of burglaries don’t require a break-in.

Not all burglaries are carefully targeted and planned. Many are crimes of opportunity. And there’s no opportunity like an open garage, door or window. As you enjoy your outdoor space, be careful what you leave open.

A good security system is your best friend in preventing unlawful entry. Here’s what to look for when you shop for one:

  • A connected garage door opener, controlled from your phone, makes it easy to lock up behind you.
  • Geo-services technology can send you an alert if you leave home with your front door or garage unsecured.

5: Grills cause more than 10,000 house fires every year

You can laugh off most cooking disasters, but not this one. Always grill at a safe distance from your home, its roof eaves, deck railings and any overhanging branches.

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  • If you grill with propane, check the gas tank hose for leaks once a year by applying soapy water. If you see bubbles, get your grill serviced.
  • If you use charcoal, invest in a chimney starter. Never apply charcoal fluid to a grill that’s already lit, and let your coals cool overnight before you dispose of them.
  • Don’t leave your grill unattended, and keep children and pets away from it. Last year, 19,000 people went to the hospital for injuries involving a grill.

The holidays are a time to enjoy family and take a relaxing break from work. They’re also a time to be vigilant about the increased chance of a household fire. Read through these fire safety tips and review them with your family so that everyone stays safe during the holiday season.

Be Aware of Candles

Candles are a hallmark of the winter holidays. As pretty as they are, however, candles are responsible for two out of every five home decoration fires. Never place a candle next to a flammable object such as holiday decorations, and always blow out lit candles when you are not in the room or when you go to bed.

Keep Decorations Away from Heat

Half of holiday decoration fires occur because the decorations are too close to a heat source. Shop for flame-resistant and flame-retardant decorations, and hang them far away from sources of heat such as the heating vent, fireplace, and lights.

Hang Lights Safely

To avoid a fire hazard, do not hang outdoor lights indoors, and vice versa. If you notice any loose bulb connections or a patch of cord that is worn or broken on your lights, replace them. Read the instructions provided with your lights to be sure that you aren’t stringing too many lights together. When hanging the lights, use clips rather than nails to avoid damaging the cords.

Test Smoke Alarms

You should test your smoke alarms several times throughout the holiday season by pressing the built-in test button. If the smoke alarm chirps, it means it is running on low batteries that need to be replaced immediately.

About Brinton Security

Sometimes, following all of the advised fire safety tips is not enough to protect you from a fire. We offer advanced fire alarms that detect both heat and smoke and that alert us to call the local fire department on your behalf as soon as a fire is detected.