October is Fire Prevention Month

Here we are heading into another heating season.  The weather is starting to change and we are scraping frost off our windshields again. October is Fire Prevention Month and there are many things you can do to help prevent a fire.  Below are some prevention tips to keep you and your family safe. There are things you can do around your home which can help reduce the risk of fire.  This Fire Inspection Checklist is a great activity for the whole family to get involved with.  As part of every fire safety plan, it is important for you to consider escape routes through your home and practice them with the family.  Practicing this ahead of time will help keep people calm and able to think if they should ever be in a fire. Occasionally your children may want to sleep over at a friend's house, here is a checklist to consider before saying yes.  When you do say yes, have them take along a Safety Information Card with your contact information. With Halloween right around the corner, review the Halloween Safety for tips on keeping your home safe for visiting children as well as protecting your children from danger when they are trick or treating. There is also some great information on the BeFireSmart website. Lastly, you should check with your insurance agency to be sure that your home is adequately covered; oftentimes people purchase their insurance when they buy their home and do relatively little with it thereafter. This can result in significant shortfalls in the coverage amount, particularly when the value of your home, or the materials to rebuild you home have increased over the years.