No one wants to think about an emergency happening. Things like fires, natural disasters, accidents, and carbon monoxide inhalation can strike without warning as we relax in our homes.
While we cannot completely prevent catastrophes from happening, we can plan ahead to mitigate the damage and ensure that everyone can escape alive and uninjured. The question is, do you know how to use home safety devices? Here are the most important items you should keep on hand in case disaster strikes at your house.
How to Use Home Safety Devices
An Evacuation Plan
If a fire breaks out or a tornado sweeps through your neighborhood, does your family know what to do? If not, take time to discuss an emergency evacuation plan. This will include things such as the best way for everyone to get out of the house should an emergency happen, a safe place where everyone should meet outside the house, as well as who is responsible for getting younger or elderly family members to safety.
Fire Extinguishers
Most people think of putting a fire extinguisher in their kitchen, but did you know that you should have a fire extinguisher on every level of your home? Install them close to exits and also include one in your garage.
In addition to owning them, it’s important to know how to use your home safety devices. Make sure you check your fire extinguishers monthly to ensure that they’re pressurized and replace any extinguisher that’s more than 12 years old. Should you need to use a fire extinguisher, aim it at the base of the fire and sweep it side to side. Remember that escaping a fire unharmed is more important than saving any property or possessions.
Rope Ladders
If your home has bedrooms that are on a second floor, placing a rope ladder in each bedroom will ensure that its occupants have an escape route if there’s no other way out. Make sure you choose a ladder that’s the proper size for the window you’ll be using it for. It’s also a good idea to do a practice run with the ladder to make sure everyone knows how to use it properly.
First Aid Kit
According to WebMD, your home first aid kit should include items to treat the following:
- Burns
- Cuts
- Scrapes
- Stings
- Splinters
- Sprains
- Strains
Items such as adhesive tape and bandages, gauze pads, Ace bandages, antiseptic spray, oral antihistamines, exam gloves, antibiotic cream, scissors, and tweezers will help you treat conditions that don’t require medical attention or allow you to provide aid until the patient can obtain help from a medical professional. Keep the kit organized and make sure everyone in your house who may need to use the kit is trained to do so.
The Ultimate Home Safety Device: Your Home Security System
Learning how to use home safety devices is about more than using items that you only whip out in the event of an emergency. Devices such as a home security system can help keep your family safe every day.
A comprehensive home security system is more than just a burglar alarm, although that’s one important feature. A hardwired smoke and carbon monoxide detector should also be a key component of your alarm system. In addition to this, the system should be monitored so that should a burglar, fire, or carbon monoxide emergency strike, help can be summoned right away.
Alarms aren’t the end of modern home security, though. Today’s home security systems include video surveillance that can be accessed from anywhere via a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Need to see if that alarm really is a break-in or if it’s just a false alarm? Want to find out if your kids are doing their homework instead of playing video games? One quick check of the video camera system will let you know exactly what’s going on at home.
Home automation through smart devices is another way that homeowners are taking home safety devices to a new level. With automation, you can lock doors, open garage doors, turn on lights, and even control thermostats from afar. Allow a repairman or a family friend in and lock the door once they leave to keep unwanted visitors out. Turn on the heat for Grandma while she’s at home with the grandkids or turn up the A/C for Fido when the temperature unexpectedly rises while you’re at work.
While accidents and emergencies can’t completely be avoided, you can prepare for them. Learning how to use home safety devices can help you know how to respond and keep your loved ones safe when the unexpected happens.
At ProTech Security, we have a strong history of experience, innovation, and customer service. The ProTech Security Advantage is more than 30 years of service in Northeast Ohio and a strong commitment to providing quality, cost-effective protection for homes, businesses, educational institutions and government facilities. To see what ProTech Security can do for you, contact us today.
