How Long Do You Think You Have to Escape a House Fire In Your Wappingers Home?

3/4/2022 (Permalink)

Have a solid fire evacuation plan in place at your home, you'll have less than 3 minutes to get out!

No matter what kind, house fires are extremely dangerous. According to the Red Cross, around 350,000 homes experience a house fire every year in the United States, causing hundreds of thousands in household property damage and killing more people than every type
of natural disaster combined. Suffice it to say, house fires are treacherous.

While preventing a house fire is the best line of defense, it is also important to note what you
should do if you find yourself faced with one. While we all hope to never be in this situation,
it is something that is wise to think through just in case an emergency does occur.

How Quickly Do House Fires Spread?
House fires can spread rapidly. The first 30 seconds are vital to extinguishing a fire, if it is safe to do so—after this brief window, the flames will have likely spread too far to be combated by a fire extinguisher. If it is not safe to extinguish a fire, then it is a must to get out quickly.
In the early stages, inhaling smoke is the most dangerous aspect of a fire, so stay low to the
ground as you escape.

How Quickly Should My Fire Evacuation Plan Take?
Every household should have a fire evacuation plan in place so everyone knows how to get out
in the event of a fire. Everyone in the household should be able to execute this plan in under two minutes, regardless of where they are in the home or where the fire breaks out.

How Quickly Does a House Become Fully Engulfed in Flames?
It takes around three to four minutes for a home to become fully engulfed in flames. At around
the three-minute mark, the temperature of a fire will exceed 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit—this is
hot enough for items nearby to combust even if they do not come in direct contact with the
flame.
This is also hot enough to shatter any glass windows, which allows the fire to spread to the
outside of the home as well.

Create an evacuation plan for your whole family, include your pets and practice it every 6 months. Make changes as needed and take feedback from family members. Avoid fire hazards like overloaded power strips and extension cords, space heaters, practice safe and smart cooking techniques and keep home décor away from candles or fireplaces.

*If you have damage to your Wappingers home from a house fire, SERVPRO of Western Dutchess County can help. Our fire restoration team is here 24/7 for assistance. We'll be with you every step of the way and help make it "Like it never even happened."