Plan for Fire Safety This Fall | SERVPRO® of Northwest Bergen

9/16/2021 (Permalink)

Be mindful about fall fire safety. Always remember that SERVPRO of Northwest Bergen is the trusted leader in the restoration industry.

You could tell without a calendar that fall has arrived: The temperature is perfectly mild in a way that only happens for a brief period each year, the j-e-t-s are back on the field and there’s a pumpkin flavor of everything available.

Whatever your fall plans are this year, keep in mind a few basic fire safety tips to ensure safe enjoyment of Bergen’s most enjoyable season.

Campfire Safety

Fall is a perfect time for camping, and it can be a great activity this time of year. Just make sure you’re extra careful when building and putting out your campfire.

Your fire needs a 25-foot clearance from any tents or other structures. Ignite your fire only with old-school tools like matches or a lighter— kerosene or lighter fluid may get things going quickly but can get out of control just as quickly.

Make sure an adult is attending to the fire at all times, and be sure to completely put the fire out before you leave. Any warm ash or live embers you leave behind create a wildfire hazard, so make sure everything is cool to the touch and drowned in water.

Space Heaters

For the crisp mornings while you sip your pumpkin-spice coffee at your home office (or really anytime for the cold-natured among us), portable space heaters are a great solution to save energy but still provide some extra warmth. However, they’re one of the most frequent causes of home fire incidents, so take extra care with them.

Use only newer models, which will shut off if they tip over or overheat. Always keep your heater on a flat surface, away from anywhere children might play. Keep it at least three feet from anything—curtains, clothes, couches—that could ignite under intense heat.

Plug your heater directly into a power outlet, as opposed to an extension cord. And finally, make sure you turn it off anytime you leave the room, and certainly when you go to bed; never let it run overnight.

Halloween

When you’re decorating for Halloween, or for fall in general, it’s important to be aware of the presence of candles and their proximity to any decorations, particularly things like cobweb decor or paper items.

And if you’re planning outdoor parties and hanging lights, be sure to plug them in directly to outlets and unplug them when they’re not in use. A short circuit can spark a fire inside your walls, and strands of lights plugged into extensions are just the right recipe to cause one.

If a fire hazard should turn from potential to reality in your home, remember the trusted leader in the fire cleanup and recovery industry and contact SERVPRO to get your property fully restored right down to the smell of smoke.