Fire and Smoke Cleanup Tips

THERE IS NEVER A GOOD TIME FOR storm waters to flood your basement or fire to smoke out your customer’s home. But if it seems disasters tend to strike at the worst possible moment, there’s a reason for that. According to statistics gathered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), residential structure fires peak between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. – right when many offices are closing up for the day. Fires don’t respect the 24-hour work day, so why should we? Timely, efficient mitigation is not only the key to keeping costs down, it can also help restore the homeowner’s or business owner’s peace of mind. The sooner restoration and cleanup begins, the sooner you and your customers can resume your everyday lives.

Fire and Smoke Cleanup Tips:

• Limit movement in the area to
  prevent further damage.
• Keep hands clean. Soot on
  hands can further soil
  upholstery, walls
  and woodwork.
• Wash both sides of leaves
  on indoor plants.
• Change HVAC filters and tape
  double layers of cheesecloth
  over air registers to stop
  particles of soot from getting in
  or out of the HVAC system.
• Do not attempt to wash walls
  or painted surfaces.

USFA Smoke Alarm Tips:

• In standard battery-powered smoke alarms,
  the batteries need to be replaced at least
  once per year and the whole unit should be
  replaced every 8-10 years.
• Since smoke and many deadly gases rise
  installing your smoke alarms at the proper
  level will provide you with the earliest
  warning possible.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
• Install smoke alarms on every level of your
  home, including the basement.
• For extra safety, install smoke alarms both
  inside and outside sleeping areas.
• Contact your local fire department on a
  non-emergency phone number if you need
  help or have questions about fire safety in
  your home.

MORE THAN 1.6 MILLION FIRES ARE reported each year in the United States.1 It’s a sobering statistic, especially when you consider the more than 3,600 people who lose their lives in these fires. Everyone knows smoke alarms play a vital role in saving lives, but many homeowners forget to ensure their alarms and detectors are in working order. According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA), no smoke alarms were present in 42 percent of fatal residential structure fires. When smoke alarms were present (58 percent of fatal fires), only 37 percent of those alarms were reported to be working correctly. In spite of recent news reports showing children sleeping through mock-fire alarms, smoke detectors remain the cornerstone of fire safety in the home. To find out the latest safety information from the USFA, read the tips on this page. For more information, go to the USFA’s website at www.usfa.dhs.gov.