Anyone who's caught the first season of The Walking Dead on AMC knows that the CDC played a vital role in handling the zombie pandemic of which the heroes of the story are trying to survive. The show is also based on a series of graphic novels, and the actual real-life CDC seems to be taking a cue from the sucess of the show to make sure that you and your family are prepared for anything ... including a zombie apocalypse.
What started as a tounge-in-cheek blog post last May has become a full-on campaign from the government entity to help spread the word about emergency preparedness through social media outlets.
October is Fire Prevention Month, and organizations like the American Red Cross are distributing information to help people lessen the fire risks within their homes.
As the temperatures start to drop, many turn to space heaters to provide additional warmth in their homes or offices. Yet the U.S. Department of Energy says "safety is a top consideration when using space heaters. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that more than 25,000 residential fires every year are associated with the use of space heaters, causing more than 300 deaths."
Here are a few tips to help you and your family use your space heater safely:
*Buy a current model with updated safety features. Also check to be sure your heater has an Underwriter's Laboratory attached.
*Select a heater that's properly sized for the area you want to heat rather than one that's too large.
Now that it's officially autumn and fall projects are finishing up as the cooler weather sits in, it's time for a reality check. Before you know it, winter and the holiday season will be upon us once again, and with that comes a new round of concerns when it comes to your home's security.
Thanks to Consumer Reports for reminding us of the top ten things NOT to do with your home if you'd like to deter would-be burglars from making you their next target. We've picked out the most important tips for you below:
1) Leaving Garage Doors Open or Unlocked
Of course most of us remember to lock our front and back doors at night or when we leave, but how many of us secure our garage doors? We're not just talking the outer door either, but the internal one that grants entry to your home. If you don't lock your outer garage door or accidentally leave it open and don't secure your inner garage door, all a theif would have to do is walk right in and right back out with all your valuables. Instead, the article suggests getting a garage door code-lock with random code resets.
In addition to installing smoke alarms throughout your home, you may opt to keep a couple of fire extinguishers on hand in case of an emergency.
Yet fire extinguishers, like most other things in your home, need to be inspected regularly to ensure they're in proper working order. Experts recommend waiting no more than a year to inspect your fire extinguishers, but checking them more often is encouraged. You may want to consider planning your fire extinguisher inspection to coincide with Daylight Saving Time, which is also an ideal time to check your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.
Check your fire extinguisher's gauge. If it doesn't read 100, you'll want to have it examined by a professional. It may be fixable, but you may also need to replace the extinguisher.
