You never expect a fire to occur in your home or apartment, but when you do the first thought is, “Is everyone safe?”
The shrill siren of the smoke alarm can be absolutely terrifying, especially if it happens unexpectedly. Sure it’s annoying when you burn the toast or singe the turkey, but you anticipate that triggering as smoke fills the room. It's completely different when it occurs in the middle of the night. After the initial wave of terror and shock, several questions might smack you in the brain:
- Where is the fire?
- How bad is it? Do I have time to get out safely?
- What about my children, pets, loved ones?
- What about my most important possessions?
As you scramble to action, smart alerts on your phone can support your rapid decision-making process. Seeing “Fire detected in living room” or “Storage Room Smoke Detector Activated” followed by “Basement smoke detector activated” might give you an idea of how far and fast the fire is spreading.
The most important thing: Get out, fast. Take your family with you, and if possible, go back for pets. Fire can be unpredictable, and going back inside for valuables is not advised. Instead, store them in a fireproof safe or in a place where you can quickly grab them on your way out of the house. Remember, it doesn’t matter how precious your family heirlooms might be, you can’t enjoy them if you and your loved ones aren’t safe first.
Consult your local fire department for ideas of how you can prevent fires and how to protect yourself in the unlikely and unfortunate event of a fire. Monthly fire drills might seem silly, but when the time for execution comes, the time for preparation has passed, you’ll be glad that your immediate reaction is based on muscle memory instead of panic. Talk to your security and life safety service provider for ways to test your system to ensure it's working as expected.