Our Opinion: Now is a good time to consider fire safety precautions

Last month, a Cape Girardeau family’s dog alerted them after a fire broke out in their home.

The fire broke out shortly after midnight, when the family members were asleep.

After the dog sounded the alarm, everyone evacuated safely, though the fire caused about $75,000 of damage in the garage and attic.

Aside from confirming the whole “man’s best friend” thing — again — there’s a lesson in fire safety here.

U.S. Fire Administration statistics show that about 4,000 U.S. residents die in fires each year and that Missourians have a higher chance of dying or getting injured in a structural fire than residents in 25 other states.

This time of year — when people are using fireplaces and/or space heaters — the risk of fires increases.

So, it’s relevant to review a few fire safety tips.

First, install and maintain smoke detectors. While these time-tested devices might cause a little ruckus during Fajitas Night or as someone learns the ins and outs of the kitchen stove, they are worth their weight in gold if a fire ever breaks out. This is especially true when folks are sleeping. A good New Year’s resolution is to replace smoke detector batteries each year, rather than waiting for the grating chirping to announce that important task.

Next, keep flammable and combustible substances away from sources of heat. In the winter, that includes open flames and heaters. In the summer, say around the Fourth of July, that includes keeping things such as fireworks safely away from any heat source, as a Sikeston family learned last summer.

Understand that many residential fires begin in the kitchen. There are many products available to quickly extinguish cooking-related fires. Consider which ones might be worthwhile in your situation.

Finally, create and rehearse a fire safety plan. Identify all the ways to exit each room of a structure, designate a gathering place outside and practice getting out of the structure in low-visibility conditions.

Four thousand of our fellow Missourians die in fires each year. Taking a few precautionary actions can lower that number.