October is Fire Prevention Month: Know What to Do After a House Fire #LSSS

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This summer we woke up to the news that a four story apartment complex near one of the schools where I used to teach had been damaged in an explosion. The fire that followed was fatal, killing seven people ranging in age from 3-66, injuring 30, and displacing 100 residents who lived there. In the days that followed, I saw news coverage of individuals clamoring to get back into their building to retrieve personal belongings but being turned away due to unsafe conditions because the building was in danger of collapse.

While temporary shelter was provided at a local community center and local groups organized to sort through the pile of donations brought by those in the area, the real work would begin when individuals could get back into the building to salvage what they could to rebuild their lives.

So many times we see others affected by tragedies and think it can’t happen to us but it can.  While no one can predict when such a disaster might strike your residence, it’s always best to be prepared.

But how do you prepare for the worst? You think ahead to what it would take to rebuild your lives.

In honor of October being Fire Prevention Month, take some time to know what steps you would need to take to rebuild your lives reading Picking Up the Pieces After a Fire by the American Red Cross. This free downloadable PDF that all families provides important information about how to recover from a fire.

From acknowledging the physical emotional toll that a fire can have on everyone, checking with the fire department to ensure your residence is safe to enter, and providing a how-to guide for financial recovery after a house fire, this free PDF is a helpful guide to print and secure with sensitive personal documents that you’ll need in case your lives are affected by a fire.

One thing that I learned about multi-unit residences such as the apartment building in my community was that lots of fire departments require key safes for immediate access for life-saving or fire-fighting activities.

Win 1 of 2 Set Your Own Combination Push Button Portable Lock Boxes from Master Lock

Even if you don’t live in an apartment building, a Set Your Own Combination Push Button Portable Lock Box is a handy device to have on hand to ensure that you always have access to a spare key that is kept in a secure location. Thanks to Master Lock, I have two of these to give away to two readers!

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As a member of Master Lock’s Live Secure Safety Squad, I have been compensated for my time in writing this post and receive samples for review.