Best Security Products blog

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, which means the kitchen will be filled with family, friends and lots of activity. Taking a few fire safety precautions is a smart way to keep everyone safe and ensure a happy holiday experience.

The National Fire Protection Association has published some safety tips to make your Thanksgiving safer. Click below to watch the whole video. We’ve pulled out the main points for you.

1. Always stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the top of the stove.

2. It takes a while to cook a turkey, but that is no reason to wander off. Don’t go far from the kitchen, and be sure to check the turkey frequently.

3. Keep children at least 3 feet away from the area you are cooking in. Also, make sure matches and utility lighters out of their reach. The best place is high up in a locked cabinet.

4. Test your smoke alarms to make sure they are working. You can do this by pushing the test buttons located on each device.

5. If a fire does occur, get out. After your family and you are safely outside, call 911. 

Some additional tips from the NFPA website:

1. If you have a candle lit, never leave a child alone in the room with it.

2. Make sure children cannot reach knives.

3. Keep electric cords (such as those found on coffee makers, plate warmers and mixers) from dangling off the counter where a child could reach them.

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If a fire does break out in your home, a home security system that includes smoke detectors can mean the difference between life and death. Seconds matter when you find yourself in a home fire. Properly working smoke detectors can warn you of the fire long before you may be aware that it has begun.

It can be a scary feeling – to be busy with your tasks or even sleeping and then to hear your alarm sound. Panic can set in immediately. But when we panic, we can make bad decisions, so it is best to be prepared with a plan ahead of time. If you spend some time thinking about what to do when your alarm sounds before it goes off, you will be in a much better position to make the right choices when the real thing happens.

The first, most obvious thing to do is to determine whether the alarm is going off because there is a real emergency or whether it has been tripped by accident. Perhaps someone is working with the control panel or a child is playing with it.

If it is a false alarm, simply turn the alarm off and set it back to the desired setting. Check with your monitoring service to find out how long you have before they consider the alarm an emergency. You may have 30 seconds or so to turn the alarm off before your monitoring company considers it an emergency.

If the alarm is real, consider the following list to help you make the right decision quickly when your alarm sounds:

1. If it is a fire alarm, leave the premises immediately. Your monitoring service will contact the fire department for you.

2. If it is a burglar alarm, decide whether you can get out of the house safely. Press the panic button on your system if possible. If you cannot get out safely, cooperate with the offenders until help arrives.

3. If the alarm is your carbon monoxide detector, leave the home and contact 911. Do not stay in the home, because you can be overtaken by the dangerous gas.

Best Security Products can help you choose a Honeywell home alarm system that will protect your family. Are you ready for peace of mind? Give us a call or email us at 1-800–988–2378 sales@bestsecurityproducts.com

If a fire breaks out in your home or office, there is no time to research the best method of putting it out. You need to be prepared before the emergency happens.

If you use the wrong method to put out certain types of fires, it can be deadly. For example, putting water on a grease fire can cause an explosion!

Here are some common fires and how to safely extinguish them:

1. Grease fires. As mentioned above, never put water on a grease fire. Also, never move a pan that is on fire. Instead, place a cookie sheet or lid on top of the fire and turn the burner off. Allow the fire to go out on its own. Do not lift the lid until you are completely sure that the fire has gone out; the fresh air may cause the fire to flame up again.

2. Chimney fires. To put out a chimney fire, follow these steps:

a. Close off all oxygen vents to the fire. This will eliminate the fuel needed for the fire to continue burning.

b. Dump sand onto the fire in the grate, if needed. It is a good idea to keep a container of sand handy at all times, for this reason.

3. Electrical fires. Old or frayed wires, overloaded power strips or faulty equipment can cause an electrical fire. A good method for putting out an electrical fire is to use a fire extinguisher. Keep a fire extinguisher handy at all times – make sure you know where it is and that it is in good working order. It is also important to know how to use one; waiting until a fire is underway is not a good time to figure it out!

To prevent electrical fires, keep an eye on your wires and power outlets to make sure they are in good working condition and are not overloaded.

At Best Security Products, we specialize in fire systems for business and home.

Give us a call at 1-800–988–2378 sales@bestsecurityproducts.com