In Case of a Fire

It is an unfortunate fact that an average of 2 million American homes are engulfed in flames each year. In the aftermath of a fire, families are left with the daunting task of reclaiming their lives with what few possessions they might have left.

There are a few things that you can do to protect your home and family before, during, and after a fire.

Prevention
Plan an escape route for your family that includes at least two exits from each room. Be sure that each individual knows where the family is to meet once everyone has escaped from the house, in the event that the whole family is unable to exit together.

Install Smoke Detectors on every level of your home and near the bedrooms. Check the detectors once a month, and if they are battery-operated, change the batteries at least once a year, to ensure that they work properly.

Keep a whistle or some other device within reach to awaken sleeping members of your family in the event that a fire occurs at night.

Check electrical outlets to make sure they are not overloaded.

Always keep a fire extinguisher in an easily accessible place, and know how to use it, in case an emergency situation should ever arise.

Keep a collapsible ladder on each upper level of your house in case you are unable to use the stairways. Think about installing home sprinklers in your home.

In the Event of Fire
Try to remain calm. A level head in an emergency can help to prevent a lot of needless accidents.

Stay low to the ground when escaping to avoid smoke inhalation.

Never open a door that is hot. Find another way out.

Remember the simple rule: "Stop, Drop, and Roll."

The Aftermath
Whether the fire involved the entire house, or just one room, people will generally try to salvage as much as possible, including food. This is not always a good idea as the heat, smoke fumes, and chemicals used to fight the fire can damage the food.

Although food stored in cans or jars may appear to have suffered no damage, it may no longer be edible. The heat from a fire can promote bacterial growth. In addition, if the heat is extreme enough, the cans or jars can split or rupture making the food plainly unsafe.

The toxic fumes emitted from burning materials can kill, so it makes perfect sense that they could also contaminate food. Any food stored in permeable packaging, such as cardboard or plastic wrap should be thrown away. Any food stored outside the refrigerator such as potatoes or fruit should also be thrown away. Amazingly, the food stored in your refrigerator or freezer can also be contaminated by toxic fumes, since the seal is not airtight. If any of your food has an off-flavor or an odor when it is being prepared, discard it immediately.

The chemicals used to fight fires contain toxic materials that can also contaminate food and cookware. Any food, whether in permeable containers or standing free, exposed to these chemicals should be thrown away immediately; the chemicals cannot be washed off of food. Canned goods and cookware can however be decontaminated. They should be washed in a strong detergent solution, and then dipped in a solution of 1-teaspoon bleach per quart of water, for 15 minutes.