Back to Basics – Where there is danger, there could be fire!

Quick – mentally picture where all the fire extinguishers are in your home. Go find them.

Now look how old they are or when they were last inspected.

Do the same at your office (remember those?) Where is the nearest and when was it last inspected?

While you are marching around being all proud of your success, also take a hard look at the many potential sources of fire that you have gathered over the years.

Piles of wood, branches, cardboard boxes, etc. not only making good homes for poisonous critters, but just waiting for an errant spark from the neighbors’ fire pit.

Flammable chemicals… oh, so many chemicals we have stored in hot garages and sheds. Ever look at the recommended storage temperatures? Ever wonder why your gas cans look a bit swollen while they bake in your shed?

Speaking of swollen things, do you have any rechargeable batteries that look a little fat these days? They are just sitting around waiting for that right temperature and pressure situation to burn down your garage.

Have any unusually warm or hot wall warts continuously drawing current and costing you money for no real reason? How about that “not to be used for permanent installations,” extension cord you have run out the garage and into the backyard to power your pellet smoker? Any rodents chewing on it yet?

How about those mechanical and attic spaces that make such great storage locations for cardboard boxes full of those things you just cannot throw away? Has the pile of boxes fallen against the furnace?

Yes, the list could go on not only for your home, but also your place of business. While the office might be in a better situation due to all the rules, regulations, and inspections that are required, it too can succumb to any of the above.

Often the home suffers from incompatible activities rather than any kind of storage issue. Grinding metal over the top of gas cans stored under the bench, operating the BBQ under a patio cover, not ventilating the room properly when using flammable things, etc.

We have all read the news story about the family who lost everything because of a fire in their garage or attic. Dollars to donuts we would have found one or more of the situations described above just sitting there waiting to happen.

So go for a walk (and crawl) in and around your house looking for two things: fuel sources and ignition sources. Given there is lots of oxygen around, having these two things near each other can and will lead to disaster. All of that great stuff you think might have value in the future is going to burn up like stubble in the end anyway, so why not clear it out to make room for more and less flammable treasures!

Be careful out there.

<end>?