Home fires can be a catastrophic event for any household. A lifetime of memories can be lost before your eyes in an instant. Or worse: 74% of all fire-related deaths occur in the home. Older Americans (age 65+) face even higher risk. Despite only making up 15% of the population, they account for 35% of all fire-related deaths. But the good news is that a little advance planning can greatly reduce your fire risk. Here are some easy safety tips to have a fire-safe home. 

1. Make an Escape Plan and Practice

It Schools and office buildings hold regular fire drills for a key reason: They work. Why wouldn’t you put in at least as much effort where you and your family sleep? Plot out both main and backup escape routes that take into account the physical abilities of every family member. Then get everyone in your household to practice to make sure the routes work as planned. Play a loud alarm sound on your phone to prepare everyone for the type of trigger they would hear in a real emergency.

2. Create Fire-Safe Spaces
3. Don’t Skip Out on Prep Time
4. Get Alarmed
5. Have the Right Firefighting Tools
6. …And Keep Them Handy
7. Butt Out
8. Keep Fuel Far From Home
9. Go Down to the Wires
10. Upgrade Your Bulbs

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