Wildfire Safety Tips for NC Homeowners
U.S. homeowners in heavily wooded regions are especially at risk if and when a wildfire starts. If you live in one of these areas, it’s crucial that you know how to prepare for possible wildfires and how to keep your home and your family safe if a fire starts. To help you out, here are some safety tips split into two categories: preparation for and survival during a wildfire.
Wildfire Preparation
Some measures you can take to be ready in case a wildfire spreads to your home include:
Have a Wildfire Evacuation Plan: make sure you have a plan for where and how to evacuate during a wildfire and practice this plan with your family. You should also have an emergency kit including food, drinking water and first aid supplies in case an evacuation becomes necessary.
Keep Fire Extinguishers Handy: have at least one fire extinguisher on each floor of your house, and make sure each member of your family–including children–know how to use one.
Keep a Hose and Water Around, Too: in addition to at least one outdoor hose, you should keep large buckets of water in your yard during wildfire season. These may help you stop or slow a wildfire if it begins to spread onto your property.
Have a Smoke Detector on Every Floor: you need at least one smoke detector on every floor of your home so your family will be alerted to a fire as soon as possible. Be sure to test them regularly to be sure they’re functioning properly.
