When it comes to home security, fire is often an afterthought — but it shouldn’t be.

According to the NFPA, a home fire is reported every 90 seconds in America, and fires destroy almost half a million structures every year.

So it’s safe to say fire protection should be top of mind for all homeowners. It’s imperative to have measures in place to not only protect your home and possessions, but also to save your life in the unfortunate event of a home fire.

EMC Security knows all too well that devastating fires are a reality for many families around Georgia — even to those who think it won’t happen to them. But with careful planning ahead of time, you can dramatically lower your risk of injury or loss from a fire by taking certain precautions.

The most important first step is to install monitored fire alarms and smoke detectors in your home.

Reduce your chance of loss due to a home fire is by installing fire alarms and smoke detectors throughout your home. Early warning systems can help you control a fire before it has the opportunity to spiral out of control, and smoke detectors can help alert you to get out of your home in time, which could save your life. In fact, the NFPA reports that three of every five home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Install a smoke alarm on every level of your home, and test each alarm once a month to make sure it’s working.

Fire protection through EMC Security is a simple addition to your comprehensive alarm monitoring service. Our 24/7 monitoring center team is technically trained to handle the detection of a fire in a way that minimizes its effect. Faster detection results in faster emergency response times.

Add EMC Security’s smoke detectors with your security system and monitor for fire at no additional cost. This means your monthly monitoring cost won’t change if you decide to add residential fire or carbon monoxide protection to your home security system.

Additional safety measures to help protect your home from a fire include:

Store fire extinguishers throughout your home

Fire extinguishers are reported to effectively put out 80% of all fires. Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and on each level of your home, near bedrooms, as well as near the exits

Plan an escape route

Walk through your home to inspect all possible exits and escape routes. Consider drawing a floor plan and mark the exits for each room, including doors and windows. The NFPA suggests practicing your escape plan twice a year.

Inspect your chimney/fireplace

Heating fires account for 36% of residential home fires every year. These fires are often caused by creosote buildup in chimneys. All home heating systems require regular maintenance to function safely and efficiently, so have your chimney inspected and cleaned annually by a certified chimney specialist.

Regularly check appliances

Faulty appliances cause an alarming number of home fires each year, so in addition to making sure you properly use and turn off appliances, check to make sure they are cleaned properly and there are no recalls against them.

Contact EMC Security today about adding fire and carbon monoxide protection at no additional cost by giving us a call at 770.963.0305.