Great Tips To Keep Your Family Safe This Summer!

Knowing and learning about fire and safety is something that is important yearound and as someone that has been impacted directly by a fire in my own home I consistently like to share with you my own experiences as well as hints and tips to help you and your family to be safer in the end.

As the summer is coming to a close, there is still a ton of time left though to get some great grilling done. With many of us doing more of our cooking outdoors on a grill (I do this quite a bit), you have to be even more diligent with your safety precautions.

The great thing is that Kidde and their partners have pulled together some very exciting resources that the whole family will value greatly!

Let’s talk about a few of the key summer safety dangers:

Grilling

I love to grill, and throughout the summer you will find me trying my hand at different kinds of meats. The challenge with grilling is that you do have to be careful about where you place it, as there is still a danger with a grill for a fire to occur, especially if you place it too close to flammable objects. You also have to be wary of not having this close to other items like vinyl siding too, as the heat expelled from the grill can actually melt the siding itself. Finally, never use a grill indoors. This may seem common sense, but because of the gas that is being expelled, there is the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning that can occur, not to mention the open flame. Below are some other hints that can help make your grilling experience a positive one!
- NFPA: Grilling Safety
- Kidde: Grilling Safety

Summer bonfires

My family and I love to have at least one campfire over the summer months. Cuddling up and roasting a marshmallow or building a S’MORE or two is just a great time for all of us. When doing this though, we have to be safe and teach our kids about campfire safety, too. If you are like my family and enjoy doing this, please consider the following:

Make sure to build camp fires at least 15 feet away from tents, shrubs or any other materials that could burn easily.
Make sure to keep all flammable material away from campfires
Know that young children may not have any sense for the power of fire, teach them safety and never leave them unattended.
Always make sure to smother your campfire and leave no embers burning when you leave. Keeping water and dirt nearby will help with this.
Here are a few other great tips to keep you safe when by a camping or by a campfire – Kidde: Camping and Fire Safety

Fire Escape Plan

I have written in the past abut the house fire that I had in my own home. Luckily the fire was not extensive enough that we lost our home or that we all had to evacuate the house. However, after this fire occurred it became very evident that we were lacking in regards to a home fire escape plan. This is so important for people of all ages, but especially with kids. One of the things that our family does now is practice our plan every few months so that if we ever do have an event with fire or carbon monoxide,” it will not be something that was forgotten! So this summer, add a few additional items to your honey to-do list!

Include creating and practicing a fire escape plan with your family into your summer plans!
Remember to practice your plan regularly — both day and night.
Know two ways out of every room
Know who will assist children and those with mobility / health issues
Have escape ladders in upstairs rooms.
Use this Fire Escape Plan Worksheet to map out your route with your family.

Carbon Monoxide

Do you know the potential sources of carbon monoxide (CO) are in your home? While most CO poisonings occur in the winter months, summer storms bring power outages and the use of generators. If ventilated improperly (or not at all), the CO produced by generators can be deadly. While I have never had to deal with a CO poisoning in my own home, it has always been a fear for me, and I have tried to remain vigilant on trying to keep my house up to date when it comes to CO hazards and knowing what these are to keep myself and my family safe!

Kidde even now allows you to monitor for CO as well as fire in your home with the new Kidde RemoteLync Monitor. I installed this product recently when I upgraded all of my smoke and CO alarms in my home (although you do not need new alarms to use the RemoteLync Monitor; it works with your existing alarms already installed in your home). This new device will allow you to get text alerts if your home is having a fire or CO emergency and gives you peace of mind to know what is happening when you are away from home!

Below are a few carbon monoxide safety tips from Kidde!

Install at least one battery-powered CO alarm or AC-powered unit with battery backup on each level of your home and near sleeping areas.
Do not use charcoal or gas grills inside or operate outdoors near a window where CO fumes could seep in through a window.
Check all CO alarms in your home. Do they use the most accurate sensing technology? Do they need new batteries? If you don’t have a CO Alarm, check out the Kidde Worry-Free CO alarm.
Replace CO alarms every five to seven years in order to benefit from the latest technology upgrades.
Have a licensed professional inspect heating systems and other fuel-burning appliances annually. Install fuel-burning appliances properly and operate according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Keep chimneys clear of animal nests, leaves and residue to ensure proper venting. Have all fireplaces cleaned and inspected annually.
Do not block or seal shut the exhaust flues or ducts used by water heaters, ranges and clothes dryers.
Do not leave your car running in an attached garage or carport. Do not use ovens or stoves to heat your home.

Find more facts from Kidde on Carbon Monoxide here.

Want to find out more about Kidde and their Amazing products?

Website – http://www.kidde.com/

Facebook – facebook.com/kidde

Twitter – @kiddesafety

Instagram – @kiddefiresafety

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