SAPS is advising the public to adopt and put into practice the following fire safety precautions, particularly given the bitterly cold temperatures lately:
Never light a fire inside a house or shack
Remember to never smoke in bed or leave candles burning at night and go to sleep while the stove or heater is on.
Never leave your kitchen unattended while cooking
The time it takes for a fire to start is short. Ask someone to look at the pot for you if you must leave the kitchen for any reason at all, or simply turn everything off until you return.
Inspect your heating sources
If your home’s heating systems are malfunctioning or if you go to sleep with the heaters on, a house fire could start. Use electric blankets with extra caution.
Any flammable items should be stored properly
Household cleaners and items such as hair spray or shaving cream may be very hazardous if exposed to a source of heat. Always store these safely in a cool area away from any heaters.
Maintain your wires
Avoid overloading sockets. If you have pets roaming around, please be considerate and check the wire before plugging anything in to make sure it hasn’t been chewed on or torn. Damaged wires should be replaced as soon as possible because they can provide a risk of a fire.
Also, keep in mind that when in use, wires get hot, so double-check your wire routing and avoid running them underneath carpets or other potentially flammable materials.
Be cautious with open flames
Be extra careful around your fireplaces. Always extinguish fires before you go to bed. If you have small children or pets, keep these open flames out of their reach as much as possible.
Always keep a blanket or fire extinguisher nearby
Your best line of defence in the case of a fire starting will be blankets and fire extinguishers. To ensure that anything that does catch fire in your home can be extinguished as quickly as possible, everyone in the family should be familiar with how to use a fire extinguisher.
Although fire blankets are quite effective for putting out small fires, you should notify the fire department if you notice that the fire is growing larger, more intense, or life-threatening.
