Today and every day is a good day to talk about fire safety to make sure we’re brushed up on our knowledge and skills to either prevent a fire or know what to do should we ever be in such a predicament. Rather than assume you won’t encounter a home fire, why not ensure that you won’t by reading this article and taking fire safety seriously? We routinely teach it to our children in school, but how often do adults go through drills or review ways to stay safe from a fire? Well, today is the day! Local Firefighter Jacob Henson shares his knowledge with us below.
Henson, a senior firefighter, is in his fourth year working for Mooresville Fire and Rescue, currently posted at Station 5. He decided to become a firefighter after volunteering as a part-time firefighter while he pursued his mechanical engineering degree at Purdue. After he graduated, he knew he wanted to make a full-time career of it. He shared, “Firefighting provides a unique opportunity to be a part of a job where every day is different. I love the opportunities to think on my feet and problem solve as part of a team. Likewise, my job affords me a tremendous amount of trust in the community which enables me to feel like I can make a tangible difference in the lives of the people we serve. Many of the social and natural barriers that people put up are immediately lowered when we arrive, and I love the ability to connect quickly and help. I can honestly say that I love my job and enjoy going to work with my crew when it’s my turn.”
Read on for quick facts and tips regarding fire safety shared by Henson below:
What are the most common causes of house fires?
The most common cause of house fires are cooking fires. They account for nearly 50%.
What practices should everyone be doing to prevent a house fire?
Never throw water on a cooking or electrical fire! Have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen and laundry room.
What is the number one piece of advice you’d give someone to prevent a fire in their home?
Make sure your smoke detectors are all functioning properly. Have a safe exit plan with your family, and ensure the kids know where to meet outside if there’s a fire in the house – then, practice it regularly. Try not to scare the kids; instead, make the practice drills fun by offering a treat afterward. Also, make sure they understand that they should never hide from firefighters. Take them to your local station, introduce them to the firefighters and ask the firefighter to gear up, so the kids can see they aren’t scary.
What should you do if your house does catch on fire?
Exit the building as quickly as possible. Stay as low as possible. If it’s a small fire, you might be able to contain it with an extinguisher, but don’t put yourself or your family in danger. Always remember that things can be replaced, but people can’t.
On average, how many house fires are there a year in Mooresville?
Mooresville has approximately 150 structure fires per year.
Instead of letting fear of experiencing a fire consume you, arm yourself with knowledge of what to do if you are ever in one and, also, how to prevent them from happening in the first place. Another leading cause of home fires is clogged dryer vents. Do yourself a favor by taking preventative action to have yours professionally cleaned! Clear Vent is a local business providing dryer vent cleaning services to the LKN area by nationally certified technicians who also happen to serve as professional firefighters in North Carolina, so you know you can trust them! Check out their website to contact and schedule an appointment: clrvent.com.
