Home fires are horrific: They are always frightening, potentially deadly and often costly. The best way to survive the experience is to prevent a fire from occurring in the first place. A lackadaisical approach to prevention is akin to fanning the flames of possibility. Every homeowner should take measures to fireproof a home, and every renter should light a fire under the landlord to take the initiative. Here is a lifesaving plan worth formulating.

Smoke Detectors

Sometime in your life, you may have asked yourself the following: How do I become a firefighter in Texas? If so, you likely are concerned about home-fire safety education, which is a firefighter priority. Most municipal fire companies promote smoke detector awareness, foremost, and for good reason: Placing working smoke detectors in every room is the single most effective life-saving fire-safety measure. Nearly 60% of fire deaths occur in homes without smoke alarms. Make sure your detectors are newer and your batteries are changed twice a year.

Electrical System

An outdated electrical system is a disaster-in-waiting. If your is decades old, and in particular if it is made up of knob and tube wiring, you need to replace it now. However, even newer layouts may be dangerously insufficient. If your circuit breaker continually trips, or if you have multiple electronics and appliances plugged into single outlets, you are overtaxing the wiring within the walls. The wires will get hot and can melt their surrounding sheathing, starting a fire within the insulation.

Sleeping Situations

Nighttime activities can create hazards if you do not take precautions. When you fall asleep, you will block out fire-causing conditions. A heating blanket that runs too hot can, for example, start a fire; you should set yours to turn off automatically. Smoking while relaxing in bed is particularly hazardous; it becomes too easy to become so relaxed that you fall asleep while the cigarette is still lit. Your best bet is to avoid taking a drag while in bed — or while sitting on a soft-stuffed chair, for that matter.

Cooking Calamities

The crowded kitchen offers many opportunities for quickly spreading flames to erupt; this is where grease and fire come into close proximity. Keep towels, curtains and plastic drying-racks far away from the stove, but store a fire extinguisher within reach of your cooking.

Firefighters join the ranks because they want to save lives when fires erupt. Rather than extinguishing a roaring blaze, they would prefer the fire did not start in the first place. You can do your part to put a blanket over potential fire causes by creating a prevention plan right away.