Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1495669
Solera CERT Cadre Are home fires a big problem in the United States? Yes! Last year, the American Red Cross responded to more than 74,000 disasters, 93 percent of them were home-related fires. Home fires claim seven lives a day in our country, and most of us aren't fully protecting ourselves. Most of these statistics could have been mitigated by performing a few simply preparedness tasks. Every second counts when there's a home fire. To help protect your household, test your smoke alarms each month and practice your escape plan until everyone can get out in less than two minutes. • Home fires are so dangerous that they claim more lives in a typical year than all natural disasters combined. • But working smoke alarms can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by half. • The sooner an alarm alerts you to a fire, the sooner you can get out. This is critical because you may have as little as two minutes to escape a burning home before it's too late. To create your home fire escape plan, include at least two ways to exit every room in your home. • Select a meeting spot at a safe distance away from your home, such as your neighbor's home or landmark like a specific tree in your front yard, where everyone knows to meet. • Take time to discuss the plan with everyone in your household and practice it at least twice a year. While practicing your escape plan, teach visiting grandchildren what a smoke alarm sounds like. Talk about fire safety and what to do in an emergency. • Place smoke alarms on each level of your home, including inside and outside bedrooms and sleeping areas. • In addition to testing your alarms once a month, change the batteries at least once a year, if your model requires it. • Also check the manufacturer's date of your smoke alarms. If they're 10 years or older, they likely need to be replaced because components such as batteries can become less reliable. Follow your alarm manufacturer instructions or have a fire alarm professional inspect your system. I will never forget these haunting words from my Boot Camp Drill Sergeant, "You got to have a PLAN!" ~ Ray C. Gayton-Jacob, coordinator for the City of Beaumont CERT program at Solera. https://www.solera-cert.info HOME FIRE ESCAPE PLAN • For Seniors By Seniors Take responsibility to protect your life! Prepare NOW for a sudden emergency | LIFE IN SOLERA | APRIL 2023 | 9