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Many little boys want to grow up to be fire
fighters. The lure of the driving a big truck, playing with water
and being a hero is a big draw for a youngster. In reality, fire
fighting is a difficult and dangerous career, but it can be very
rewarding. However, a fire fighter does more than put out the flames.
He is an excellent resource for learning about fire prevention safety.
Your local fire department can provide you with
a lot of free information and safety tips for preventing a house
fire. With most home fires starting cooking which was left unattended,
kitchen fire safety was a main theme for fire prevention week
in 2008.
If you are wondering about the right kind of fire
safety equipment to have in your home, a safety consultant from
the fire service can come to the house to assess your needs. He
can advise as to the right number, and type, of portable fire
extinguishers you should buy. He may even be able to provide free
smoke detector batteries to ensure your detectors are in working
order. For youngsters, the fire department can provide some fun
fire safety posters to put up in their bedrooms as a constant
visual reminder about being fire safe.
To prevent a tragic house fire, there are some
basic pieces of equipment every home should have. Two-thirds of
houses, in which someone has died in a fire, did not have a working
fire alarm. Most new homes are built with a hard-wired electric
smoke detector outside each bedroom. Older homes can be outfitted
with wireless smoke detectors. These are affordable and can be
purchased at many home or department stores, or even online.
While monitored alarms, smoke detectors and fire
extinguishers are key elements in home fire safety systems, there
are other dangers in the home that need to be addressed. Carbon
monoxide poisoning causes about 500 deaths each year. These could
have all been avoided if the houses had a carbon monoxide gas
detector on each floor.
Nobody has to end up as a tragic statistic due
to a house fire. Information about fire safety is easily accessible
online. Most fire departments have detailed websites with many
tips and suggestions for preventing home fires. Fire fighters
are happy to share their knowledge with the public as well, and
can come to your school, office or home to help you learn to be
safe.
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