There are many ways to prevent fires in our homes and ways to prevent them from spreading if they do happen. Fire Safety knowledge and equipment is very important to protect your family from a fire. In this article, we will share the must-have Fire Safety Equipment and links to where to buy it. 

Fire Safety Equipment Checklist

• Smoke Detectors
• Carbon Monoxide Detectors
• Stove Top Fire Suppression Unit
• Fire Extinguisher
• Escape Ladder
• Fireproof Box (Fireproof Safe)
• Fire Blanket

If you like to download this checklist, click here.

Smoke Detectors

This is the most important piece of equipment to have in your home because without a warning, most of the other tools don’t do you any good. With seemingly endless options out there, it’s hard to decide what is the best smoke alarm for you. We have a full article devoted to smoke alarms, but in short the main two different technologies inside smoke alarms are Photoelectric and Ionization. These detect smoke differently and you should have BOTH or even better use dual detectors.

Smoke Alarms We Recommend

• Dual Detector
• Photoelectric Detector
• Ionization
• If you want smoke alarm tester spray, click here.

We share many more in our smoke detector buyer’s guide, but those are our favorites in each category. If you would like to learn about maintenance, check out our article on smoke alarm maintenance here.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide detectors provide invaluable protection to homeowners, alerting you of any hazardous carbon monoxide levels in their environment. This is especially true if you have gas appliances present, but even those without should be proactive and equip their home with a carbon monoxide detector to provide added safety. If you want to learn more about carbon monoxide detectors, click here.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors We Recommend

• Plugs Into The Wall
• Mount On The Wall

Stove Top Fire Suppression Units (Auto-Out)

This falls under kitchen fire safety tools, which we have a whole article about kitchen fire safety tools, but the most helpful one is a stove top fire suppression unit. This type of device can smother a fire on the stove using baking soda automatically, helping to put the fire out before it is too late.

Stove Top Suppressions Units We Recommend

• Buy the StoveTop FireStop here – $89
• Buy the Auto-Out device here – $60

Home Fire Extinguishers

Home fire extinguishers are great for putting out fires that are still small and contained. Once a fire starts getting bigger, fire extinguishers won’t be able to help much. This is because most fire extinguishers only have enough contents to spray for about 30-45 seconds. There are a few different options to consider when getting a fire extinguisher. The good news is at home you don’t have to meet the same guidelines as a workplace, so you have more flexibility. 

Fire Extinguishers We Recommend

• Buy an Easy to Use Spray Can Fire Extinguisher Here – This is a great option for home use since they are inexpensive and easier to use. 
• Buy a Small but More Traditional Fire Extinguisher Here
• Buy a Full Size Fire Extinguisher Here
• Buy a Small Kitchen Fire Extinguisher Here
• Buy a Full Size Kitchen Fire Extinguisher Here

Escape Ladder

If you have a multi-story home or apartment, you need to have a fire escape ladder to be kept upstairs, so you can get out of your home if the fire is blocking your stairway. It is best to have multiple in each upstairs bedroom, but you should at least have one on every upper level. Make sure to purchase one that is long enough depending on how many stories your home is. If the window in your bedroom is three stories up, a two story escape ladder isn’t gonna cut it.

Escape Ladders We Recommend

• 2 Story Escape Ladder
• 3 Story Escape Ladder
• 2-6 Story Escape Ladder

Fireproof Box or Fireproof Safe

We all have important documents like passports, identification papers, titles, and much more. If there were a fire in our home, those documents would burn up with everything else unless you protected them. You can protect them with a fireproof box or safe. Each safe is rated to a certain temperature, and since fires can get upwards of 600 degrees, getting a one with a high temperature rating is important. Shoot to get one rated to at least 1000 degrees. These double as a lockable safe to protect from thieves at the same time. 

Fireproof Safes We Recommend 

• Small Fireproof Safe Locks With Key
• Medium Fireproof Safe With Keypad
• Large Fireproof Safe With Keypad

Fire Blanket

Fire Blankets work in similar situations to a fire extinguisher when trying to put out small fires. They work by smothering small fires just like a fire extinguisher but instead by placing them over the fire instead of spraying it. Fire blankets are made of a fireproof fiberglass material that can handle the flames long enough to put it out by taking the oxygen away. If you don’t feel confident with a fire extinguisher or you would like to have extra tools, this is a great option.

Fire Blankets We Recommend

• One Fire Blanket
• Two Fire Blankets

Things to Do for Home Fire Safety

Having all these tools is one thing, but having the skills you need is another thing. One way to prepare is to familiarize yourself with how the fire safety tools in your home function or alert you. You also need to do things like create and practice a fire home fire escape plan and make your house number clear and visible from the road so emergency services can find you easily. Remember to download our printable fire safety checklist to make sure you have everything you need.

Another great way to be prepared is by taking one of our Fire Safety classes. We have online and in person Fire Safety training options across Georgia. Learn more about our Fire Safety course and sign up for a class here.