House fires are a top cause of death and property damage in the United States. Many people lose their homes and lives every year to fires that could have been prevented. Learning how to plan fire drills and prepare the right equipment can help you and your family survive a house fire.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), more than 490,000 house fires occurred in 2020. These fires resulted in:

There are five classes of fire based on the fuel that is burning. Each type involves different flammable materials and requires a unique method to distinguish it. Experts say fighting a fire with the wrong approach might worsen the situation.

House fires are often the result of irresponsible behavior, unintentional negligence, or product defects. The NFPA has identified the top five causes of house fires.

Some fires are unavoidable, such as those caused by a lightning strike.

A fire can engulf a house in a matter of minutes. If the fire happens in the middle of the night while everyone is asleep, you can lose precious minutes while you’re waking up to get your bearings. In these cases, the best way to survive is early warning. Ensure that your smoke alarms are working. Check them once a month and replace the batteries twice a year. If a fire occurs at night, the alarm will notify you and allow you enough time to escape.

Everyone in your household should know what to do in case of a fire. The evacuation plan should involve leaving your home immediately and meeting at a designated area outside the house far away from the fire. Once everyone has safely evacuated, call 911.

If the main escape route is blocked by smoke or fire, you must find another way out. Climbing out the windows is an excellent way to evacuate the house. Consider getting collapsible ladders for second-floor bedrooms if you live in a two-story house.

Most fire-related deaths are not caused by the fire. Lack of oxygen, heated air, and smoke are the leading causes. When evacuating through a smoke-filled room, it is essential to crawl below the level of the smoke to avoid breathing it.

Knowing what to do if a family member does not make it to the designated area is essential. Firefighters warn never to go back into a burning house, but if one of your children is still inside, we all know the warning goes out the window. Having a backup plan before running back into your house is critical.

If the flames are small and you believe you can fight them safely, then you definitely should fight the fire. Once you successfully have the fire contained, check the site to ensure there are no flare-ups. However, if you can no longer control the blaze, evacuate the area immediately and call for help. According to the American Red Cross, it takes just five minutes for a house to be entirely consumed in a fire.

Watch YouTube Video : 9 Tips to Survive a Fire in a Hopeless Situation. The video below explains what you need to do to significantly increase your chances of surviving a house fire.

I’m Ed Smith, a burn injury attorney in Sacramento. Burn injuries in a house fire are painful and can be deadly. If you have suffered severe trauma in a burning accident caused by someone else’s negligence, call our skilled and knowledgeable injury attorneys at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly case advice.

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A pedestrian fatality accident happened on August 15 after a collision involving a motor vehicle in Arden-Arcade along Marconi Avenue.

A fatal accident in Dixon along Interstate 80 close to the off-ramp was reported involving a single vehicle on August 16.

An accident on August 19 in Napa along Highway 29 caused by a wrong-way driver led to the death of one motorist and injuries to four others.

A Sacramento solo vehicle crash on the Cap City Freeway just south of the Fulton Avenue off-ramp caused an injury on August 11.

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