Time flies, doesn’t it? Not long ago, we were moving our clocks backward as Daylight Saving Time drew to a close, and here we are in March, and it’s already time to move our clocks ahead an hour. But just because we lose an hour of sleep does not mean that it’s time to grow lax in terms of safety. In fact, the beginning of Daylight Saving time is a great opportunity to verify that your home is as secure from danger as it can be. To that end, the Fire and Rescue Chief of San Diego is providing some valuable tips to citizens.
Your’e already going to have to move through your home in order to make sure all your clocks are displaying the correct time, so you should have ample time to verify that your carbon monoxide and smoke detectors are working properly. Each unit should get new batteries so that you know they’ll be able to alert your family should a fire or CO leak break out in your home. This should be done even if you’re fairly confident that the batteries are charged. It’s best to just cover your bases and replace them. Then, you can keep the partially depleted batteries around in order to put them into devices that your family’s safety doesn’t hinge on.
You should also try to make time to check all light fixtures and bulbs for any damage. If a light has gone out, or if it has accumulated any wear and tear, you should immediately switch out the bulb, preferably with an energy-efficient device.
One other thing you can do while you’re at it is update all requisite emergency contact information. Phone numbers may have changed since the time you compiled your contact sheet, and people may have even moved. Stay up to date, and place this information somewhere you and your children can easily gain access to it. By the phone would be a great idea.
If you have a first aid kit, make sure that you have all necessary materials inside. After all, bumps and bruises may have caused you to plunder the kit in the interim. Replace anything you may have used.
Finally, speak to your family about what to do should some sort of emergency occur within your home. Many families haven’t taken the time to compile a family emergency plan, but not doing so can be dangerous should a hazardous incident actually occur. You should brief all loved ones on what steps to take to escape the home promptly, and there should be a designated meeting place where everyone can go to regroup.