Louisiana, Here’s How to Prevent Fires and Tragedy in Our Homes

I think one of the most frightening things to most people is the thought of their home catching on fire. Did you know that every 86 seconds in America, there is a house fire? According to propertycasualty360.com one in every eight Americans have experienced a fire in their homes.

The statistics are staggering, and the numbers are frightening. As far as where fires start, the biggest percentage of fires in homes start in the kitchen. The second leading cause of house fires is due to candles.

We really need to never leave things in our kitchens unattended because if you are not around when a fire starts it only takes seconds for the fire to spread. And the same can be said about leaving candles unattended. They really make our homes smell terrific, but you should never leave a room when a candle is lit.

KEEP SCROLLING FOR TIPS TO PREVENT FIRES

Lafayette Fire Department Investigator and Spokesman Alton Trahan has given us some advice on information that hopefully can help us prevent tragedy.

One of the big things Trahan wants to remind people about is that smoke detectors help to save lives. Unfortunately, not everyone has a smoke alarm in their homes. If you can help out a neighbor by buying and installing a smoke detector, that can be the difference between life and death.

The Insurance Information Institute reports, based on statistics from the National Fire Protection Association, that there is a fire about every 24 seconds in our country. That includes homes, businesses, and other structures.

Trahan says often they respond to fires at homes where a child has been playing with a lighter or matches. He says they even had a fire they responded to once, there was a 2-year-old child who was interested in a pack of matches. He says we really need to think about fire prevention, and here are his tips.