Move over, Sparky the Fire Dog and Smokey Bear. It’s National Fire Prevention Week and we’re coming at you with some serious facts about one of our fairweather friends: fire. Sure, fire is our friend when it comes to providing warmth in the winter months and providing heat for our meals, but things can turn ugly quickly. Home electrical fires account for $1.3 billion in property damage a year, with 51,000 fires occurring over that span of time (esfi.org). The reality is that fires can do much more than just property damage. Thousands of people and pets are injured in a home fire each month alone, and we’re all likely to know someone that a fire has personally affected negatively at some point in our lives.
With all the current hubbub around COVID-19, it’s kind of easy to push accidental fires to the back burner as a secondary emergency; however, take a look at the current state of affairs in the Western region of the United States. Wildfires continue to burn, ruining people’s homes, livestock, endangered native species, and more. The devastation started with an innocently-executed gender reveal announcement gone terribly wrong, causing a volatile explosion and catching the earth on fire. The party-throwers most likely did not have to start a national emergency in mind for their party, much like we don’t have house fires on our mind when we do everyday things around the house that are accidents waiting to happen.
Taking small steps to prevent fires in your home can save you a huge headache in the long run. Cooking carefully with heat and oil, having your fireplace regularly cleaned, and unplugging potentially dangerous appliances and electronics can all help with reducing the risk of a fire in your home. As painful as it is, drag out the latter and replace those smoke detector batteries that are beeping around your home. Talk to your family members about an escape route and plan in the event of a fire. Decide the “must grab” items you’d want with you if you had only 20 seconds to grab something before a firefighter directs you out of your home. Most importantly, take safety precautions seriously and discuss the importance of fire safety with your family, especially if you have small children who aren’t always the quickest or who aren’t aware of the early signs of a dangerous fire.
Securing a home insurance plan can’t put out a roaring blaze, but it can certainly show up to help you and your family in a time of need in the unfortunate event a fire occurred in your home. Of course, your possessions are important to you, otherwise, you wouldn’t have them in the first place. But what about the big picture? What about the balance of the mortgage you are still required to pay off? Recovering from a devastating fire should not also include recovering from financial ruin. It’s so simple to talk to one of our agents and get the right home insurance coverage for your family home in case of an emergency.
In case you missed it: “A Personal Guide to a Safe and Healthy Start to Fall” has a little refresher course on keeping those fall cooties at bay. Keep washing those hands, and in between your normal safety precautions, be sure to take some time to talk to one of our agents about how we can help you with any of your insurance needs. We are working hard to keep our clients safe and protected. Let us be here for you!
