Fire Security Myths

No matter how prepared we think we are, there is every possibility that we will panic and lose our heads should we ever be unfortunate enough to experience a fire emergency. Lets take a look at some of the commonly held myths about fire and what the real truth actually is. Hopefully this will give you some sort of reassurance and help you to react better should there be a fire.

Myth: When a fire starts, you have five minutes to evacuate the room.

Actually, no. In reality it can take as little as 30 seconds for fire to engulf a whole room. Don’t waste time – get out immediately once a fire has started. Running upstairs to grab some treasured possessions in the belief that you have a few minutes to escape may end up costing you your life.

Myth: The heat from a fire will wake you up if you are asleep.

Wrong. The deadly killer here is the smoke. The smoke from a fire will reach you first and your room can quickly fill up with smoke in just three minutes. Inhalation of smoke can make you fall even deeper into sleep. In fact most deaths are caused by asphyxiation through the inhalation of smoke and poisonous gasses caused by a fire. This is why installing a smoke detector could potentially save your life and that of your loved ones.

Myth: Fire alarms are too expensive.

False. There are many fire detection systems and pieces of equipment that are very cost-effective indeed! What you have to ask yourself at the end of the day is: What price do you put on the lives of your family? Take a look at our Fire Detection Equipment to see for yourself. Choose the equipment that meets your needs and you will not only have great peace of mind that your family is safe, but you can also save money too – having a fire alarm installed can actually reduce the cost of your annual home insurance policy!

Myth: My home could never catch on fire.

You would be surprised by how many people don’t believe their house could easily catch fire. Many will say that concrete walls and floors cannot burn, but they are not thinking of all the flammable material stored within their home. Everything from curtains and blinds to carpets, clothes and bed linen can easily catch fire and help to spread it from room to room.

Myth: I could handle any fire by myself.

With any fire that starts off small, there is only a short time-frame right at the beginning where it could be easily extinguished. Thinking you can take on a fire once it has become established is just too risky. Did you know that 80% of fire-related deaths in the UK are caused by house fires? Never try to take on a blaze by yourself. Evacuate the house and call the emergency services.

Myth: If the fire is in the front of the house, I can go in via the back door to save some possessions.

Never attempt this! Your life is more precious than your possessions. If the fire service is on the way, don’t make their job more difficult for them by having to rescue you as well as put out the fire.

The best way to keep yourself safe is to have a fire detection system fitted at home. This need not be very expensive, messy or time-consuming to install. Why not give us a call today to discuss your needs. We are here to help!