Safety in the home is critical – and should always be thought about and planned to help avoid extra stress should the worst happen.
As such I wanted to look today at the safety items every home should have, and a little information around each of them. Hopefully as you are reading you can mentally tick off each one as already done in your own home, but if not, why not look at getting them asap.
You really can’t brush this sort of thing under the carpet – or leave until tomorrow – this is yours and your families safety at home, which is critical.
As I always say – better to be safe than sorry….
Item #1 – Burglar alarm
Having been burgled twice in the past (the two were within 6 weeks of each other), I would now not be without a burglar alarm in my home.
There are a variety of reasons to get an alarm – of course first and foremost would be to deter burglars – for me it also helps me sleep better at night knowing the house is safe, and for others it may be for insurance purposes – but all of these mean that you can rest more easily knowing that you have at least some protection against the worst case scenario.
TIP – get an alarm that you can zone so that you can set the alarm downstairs at night, and the whole house when you go out during the day. This will give you maximum peace of mind.
Item #2 – Smoke alarm
According to the Fire Kills website (where you can find loads of great information about fire safety) –
You’re at least 4 times more likely to die in a fire in the home if there’s no working smoke alarm
It’s just not worth taking the risk.
I would advise a minimum of checking each season – but ideally check them each month. If they are not working then they may as well not be there at all.
Item #3 – Carbon Monoxide detector
As with a smoke detector, a carbon monoxide detector is essential to ensure there are no toxic fumes in your home.
Have one by any gas appliances in your home (fire, cooker etc…) to be safe. This is a killer that you can’t see or smell, so a detector really can save your life.
There is loads of information HERE to help guide you.
Item #4 – Fire safety pack
Small fires can be put out if you act quickly and safely – and getting a simple home fire safety pack makes sense.
These usually consist of a fire blanket and a fire extinguisher and should be kept within easy reach.
TIP – always check on what type of fire extinguisher you have, as there are different ones for different types of fire. Ensure you get one suitable for what you need it for, and that you know how to use it properly.
Item #5 – First aid kit
Accidents happen.
Having a basic first aid kit is essential for any house – as you really do never know what you may need.
You can buy kits already put together, or put one together yourself (if you are doing the latter then the NHS site HERE may help)
TIP – Why not get one for your car as well as this will benefit you should you get into an accident while driving, or even while out and about. Better to be safe…
Item #6 – Good electrics
Just a couple of weeks ago my hairdryer exploded in my hands due to a loose wire. Scary, but luckily I managed to throw it out of my hands in time, thankful that my daughter wasn’t in the room with me.
Get into the habit of doing checks on all your electrics to ensure they are safe. Some checks can include:-
- Ensure no faulty or loose wires
- Ensure bulbs in lights are no higher in wattage than they should be
- Check that electrics such as hair straighteners are left after use in a safe place
- Check that all electrics are turned off when not in use
- Check that no switch is overloaded
Item #7 – Plans for escape
If the worst case scenario should happen and you need to get out of the house quickly – then having a plan of how to get out will pay dividends. You won’t have to think about what to do as you will have already worked it out.
Things to think about would be:-
- How would you would get out of the house if you couldn’t get downstairs. Is there a window that opens wide enough for you to get out – could you get a ladder of some sort to help if there is a long drop, and is this by the window that it would be used on?
- What numbers to call in an emergency
- Where are all the safety items kept in your home
How many of these seven do you have already? I have got most things, but need to add a couple to my TO DO list for this weekend to complete the set for myself…
Being prepared makes sense – you will have peace of mind, and although you never want to think of the worst case happening, a worse case would be to not be able to help yourself or sound the alarm if it should.
It’s always worth mentioning here that I have linked to relevant sites as they give so much more information about what you need to look for from a safety aspect (how to fit, which are best etc…) – and you should always satisfy yourself that you are aware of what your specific countrys needs are(the links are UK based).
