Let's think about the tactics of
safety.
(Just in case the link breaks)
Christmas time pushes people to
do crazy, frenzied activities as we rush to make it a perfect holiday. Let’s talk about putting things in place so
they are ready when we need them.
I’m not talking about bug-out
bags, stashed guns or even determining lines-of-sight in your house. I’m talking about smoke detectors.
So many of us use a cut Christmas
tree to celebrate Christmas. These trees
were cut 3 months ago or longer and are so dry and are so filled with resin
that they practically explode into a ball of fire with the touch of a
spark. Even the live ones you cut at the
tree farm are very flammable.
So put in fresh batteries in your
smoke detectors for Christmas. Most of
them use a common 9 volt radio battery available at Mega-Mart and corner stores
across the nation. If you don’t have a smoke detector buy a couple. Put a smoke detector on
each floor.
I suggest you put one on the
living room ceiling near the area you normally put a Christmas tree. This one will give you an extra 10-20 seconds
if the tree catches fire. Those seconds
could be the difference between having an awful Christmas and not having one at
all.
One of my favorite blogs suggests
keeping a headlight on the fire extinguisher.
Not a bad idea, but here are the two main thoughts on using a fire
extinguisher.
If you have any doubts the fire
is too big for your extinguisher or level of confidence, it is too big. Like DeNiro said in Ronin, “If there is any doubt, there is no doubt.”
If you choose to fight the fire,
get the fire department moving before you start. You only get one extinguisher. If you have to leave to get a second, the
blaze is too big.
A few more words on smoke alarms
and such. There are two types, ionization
and photoelectric. Experts suggest
installing both. Then they talk about
adding carbon monoxide detectors, and don’t forget the Bluetooth linked
detectors …
Remember, perfect is the enemy of accomplished good. Just get a couple of smoke
detectors on your ceilings and keep fresh batteries in them. Make sure everyone knows to meet a location
in the house and what their job is during an alarm. I think you should practice a drill.
You spend hours practicing head
shots on cardboard, but you think it’s silly to run a drill to make sure you
and yours get out safely? Really?
Here’s a link to the article that
sparked this rant. I hope you enjoy it
and take it to heart.
I want you have a Safe and Merry
Christmas and a prosperous New Year!
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