How Safe Are You In Your Home From A Fire?

My Name is Frank Dolski, Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker Hearthside Realtors in Lahaska, PA.  I represent buyers and sellers in Real Estate in Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh, Philadelphia and Chester County Area in Pennsylvania.  Doylestown, Buckingham, Quakertown, Perkasie, Newtown, New Hope, Jamison. Yardley, N. Wales and Langhorne are only a few of the towns that where I cover.  This business facinates me and I learn something new everyday.  One of the most important things that I have learned is regarding Fire Safety. 

One thing about this business is that I meet people.  One of the most influential and knowledgeable people that I have met is Ed Pfeiffer, the Fire Marshall for Warwick Township, PA. Selling homes in the township requires a U & O.  So, I run into Ed quite frequently and I learn something everytime we meet.  I wanted to post one of the recent articles that Ed Wrote:

Smoke Detectors Part 1

Our Problem

Whenever firefighters are dispatched to a residential fire, our system has failed. Fire codes, fire officials, fire prevention efforts and a lot of individual homeowners have failed. Although all fires are not preventable, traditional thinking has been directed at preventing
them from starting. This is a good plan and has prevented many fires from beginning. However, history has shown that this isn’t good enough. Fires happen in all kinds of homes, big and small, to the rich and the poor. Reasons include, careless cooking, recalled appliances, electrical products of China, careless smoking, candles, children playing with matches, old wiring, and a million others.

Early smoke detection is fundamental to preventing the cause of the smoke to progress into a fire. Most fires occur when the residents are home. How many fire incidents have you seen or read about that
have caused you to ask, how did the fire get that big and they were home? This is the first in a series of articles that hopefully will help readers understand the importance of smoke detectors. Most of us have upgraded our computer and phones. Could it be time to upgrade your detectors?

Wireless
interconnected smoke detectors – new technology for older homes.

Ed makes some very valid points.  One thing that I have learned as a non expert, that smoke detectors must be wired so they all sound at the same time.  What would happen if a fire occurred in the basement and you were sleeping without a wired system? It may be too late by the time the fire hits the second level. Thus the importance of a wired system with battery backup! The newer technology allows for radio communications via wireless smoke detectors. They too have batteries and talk to each other.

For me, selling a home is great but I would like to know that buyers are safe long after they move in and sellers are safe while they live there. Buying a home is a huge investment and a home can be replaced.  A life cannot be replaced so do your best to be proactive and learn as much as you can to make your homes a safer place to live! NFPA also has some very good tips on fire safety. I'd also like to hear any comments or ideas that you wish to share regarding this topic.

Frank Dolski   MBA, ABR, e-PRO
Associate Broker
Certified Relocation Specialist
Previews Luxury Home Specialist
Coldwell Banker Hearthside Realtors
Ranked #1 In The State of PA in 2012
For Coldwell Banker International Affiliated Realtors
2012 Coldwell Banker International President’s Elite Award
2010-2011 Coldwell Banker International President’s Circle Award
215-803-3237 (mobile)
215-794-1070 x-103
f.dolski@cbhearthside.com
www.FrankDolski.Com