Canton offers free home inspections to help homeowners spot fire hazards

Canton Township Fire Department helps make homes safer

CANTON, Mich. – Christine Skavery took advantage of the free home inspections offered by the Canton Township Fire Department to make sure her home is free of fire hazards.

Nichole Hamilton, a Canton fire inspector, walked through Skavery's home with her to point out what she is doing right and what she can improve.

In the kitchen, Hamilton was pleased to see that there was nothing on or near the stove.

"A lot of times, people will store their mail or other things on top of their stovetop, but if they bump it, they can catch fire," Hamilton said. "So don't store anything on top of your stove."

Hamilton also noticed there were no extension cords in the home. She said they can become a fire hazard when people overload them or put them under mats and step on them, causing the cord to degrade.

In the laundry room, Hamilton recommends cleaning the lint screen every time you use the dryer and having the dryer vent cleaned once a year.

"A lot of fires happen because of dryers," Hamilton said.

Heading downstairs to the basement, Hamilton noticed that there is an escape window, and said everything in front of the window must be cleared out in order for individuals to be able to quickly access it.

"If you have stuff in front of it that needs to be cleared out so that you can get straight over to it," Hamilton said. "Open it up, know how to use it and have your kids use it too so that they practice it."

Hamilton also pointed out that in every home, every person must be able to push out the grate above the escape window.

"For your furnace and your hot water tank, you need a 3-foot clearance around it," Hamilton said. "If something fails, this would be the place to fail, in the basement, so you want to give it enough space."

The same 3-foot rule applies to the electrical panel, because firefighters might need to access it in a fire.

Hamilton recommends smoke detectors on every floor and in every bedroom. There are two types of smoke detectors: ionization and photoelectric.

"I suggest getting a photoelectric one, especially upstairs in the hallway, because it detects smaller fires, the smoldering fires," Hamilton said.

Smoke detectors last seven to 10 years, so it is imperative to replace them after that time frame. To figure out how old a smoke detector is, look at the date of manufacture or expiration date on it.

In addition to smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors should be on every floor.

Hamilton also advises everyone to hold a fire drill so every person is aware of how to get out of the house and where to go. The meeting place should always be in front of the house. Often, the mailbox is a good spot.

"I highly suggest fire escape ladders," Hamilton said. "They go over your windowsill. You climb down and can go to safety. If you have one for every bedroom, teach (your children) how to use it."

Fire extinguishers should be on every floor and mounted on the wall, not hidden inside a cupboard. That way everyone in the house can find them should there be a fire.

"I thought by having one on every floor I was being smart, but the fact that they're kind of hidden, if it was an emergency we might not be able to get to them," Skavery said.

If you need to use your fire extinguisher, here are the steps you should take:

  • Call 911 immediately so firefighters know you're fighting a fire.
  • Remember the "PASS" method when using the extinguisher:
  • Pull the ring pin out.
  • Aim at the base of the fire.
  • Squeeze the operating handle.
  • Sweep the fire extinguisher back and forth.

After the home visit, Skavery was grateful for the chance to make her home safer for her family.

"The things that she taught us will help save us in case there is a fire," Skavery said.


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