drawing of home fire exit plan

5 Things to Include in Your Fire Safety Plan

When there’s a fire in your home, quick thinking and preparation will save your family, which is why it’s prudent to have a detailed fire safety plan. The fire protection equipment experts from Northland Fire are committed to your safety, so they’ve compiled items to add to your plan.

1. Keep Items Away From the Stove

Most fires in the home begin in the kitchen due to carelessness; an overhanging towel near your burner can ignite and spread, or a wooden spoon falls out of a pot and catches fire. Keeping flammable items away from the oven and stove is key.

2. Don’t Overload Power Outlets

Another common cause of household fires is overloaded power circuits. When using a power strip or connecting chords to your outlets, less is more. Keep an eye out for any frayed extension or appliance chords and replace them immediately to minimize chances of an electrical fire.

3. Always Keep a Fire Extinguisher at Home

A fire can break out unexpectedly in any area of your home, which is why keeping accessible fire protection equipment on hand is important. Northland Fire & Safety Inc. suggests storing a fire extinguisher in the kitchen to keep you and your family protected.

4. Inspect Furnace & Water Heater Annually

Like most household appliances, your furnace and water heater need to be properly maintained to function their best. Since they’re fuel burning appliances, they can pose a fire hazard if they’re not properly serviced.Inspect your furnace and boiler annually.

5. Plan a Family Fire Drill

Planning a family fire drill is a great way to practice fire safety in the home. Sit down with the family and create an escape plan and then put it into action one weekend or evening.

For those who want to prevent fires and keep their family safe, contact Northland Fire today to learn more about their fire protection equipment. They also specialize in emergency lighting and fire alarms, so visit them online for a closer look at their inventory.

fire extinguisher use at home

Fire Extinguishers & Beyond: 5 Important Fire Safety Training Questions

Ensuring your employees are well-versed in fire safety is key to preventing unwanted flames from taking over, resulting in property damage and serious injuries. A fire safety training class teaches you and your team how to use fire extinguishers and other important safety skills that keep your business standing and OSHA-compliant. Get the most from your fire safety course by asking the following questions prior to signing up.

What Course Is Best for My Team?

The best course for your staff goes over emergencies most likely to occur with your type of business. Training leaders must inspect your facility prior to the first class to create a customized course that teaches employees more about the building they work in and what to do in case of an emergency.

Where Will Training Occur?

Many classes occur outdoors due to fire pit and fire extinguisher use. However, the best courses are those that simulate emergencies and subsequent procedures on location. Digital technology avoids starting actual fires indoors and provides employees with the training they need.

Who Is Instructing the Course?

First responders and firefighters are among the best professionals to teach fire safety because of their knowledge and experience. They know how emergencies start, are experts in fire suppression systems, and share real-life experiences and stories to paint a more vivid picture of safety practices.

What Does the Course Teach?

Basic training courses teach how and when to use fire extinguishers, and how to exit buildings safely. Knowing when to use an extinguisher and when to leave the blaze to professionals can be the difference between life and death.

Are There Any Additional Costs?

Use of fire equipment can result in a higher training fee, as can obtaining a burn permit for outdoor demonstrations. Failure to use a burn permit can incur costs as well. Simulated training is arguably the best option, as it does not require equipment use or permits, nor does it result in high fees and long cleanup sessions.

Find the extinguishers, fire alarms, and other fire protection equipment you need at Northland Fire. Proudly serving industrial and commercial clients in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Upper Michigan, and North Dakota, the premier business offers a variety of fire suppression systems as well as 24-hour emergency service. Contact Northland Fire to schedule service or visit the team’s website for additional information. Like the company on Facebook for more helpful tips.

oven top pan with flames

4 Ways to Fight & Prevent Grease Fires Starting With Fire Extinguishers

Whether you’re cooking over a hot stove at home or in a restaurant, grease fires are a serious cause for concern. The best way to avoid these dangerous outbursts is through prevention techniques and thorough preparation. That’s why locals throughout Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, Minnesota, and North Dakota depend on Northland Fire. As experts in fire protection equipment—from fire alarms to fire extinguishers—they take pride in helping customers learn how to protect themselves.

Understand Cooking With Oils

First and foremost, it’s important to understand how to cook with oils and grease. When you put oil in a pan, it should never be allowed to burn. If you notice smoke, your pan is too hot and you should reduce the heat immediately. Keep in mind, at 500 degrees, smoke from grease will ignite into fire.

Pay Attention

Most grease fires start when cooks aren’t paying close attention to their stoves. To keep you and your home safe, always have active fire alarms, and never leave your kitchen with something cooking on the stove. By keeping a close eye on your pots and pans, you can reduce the heat as soon as the grease starts smoking.

Move Combustible Items

To avoid exacerbating a grease fire, move all combustible items away from your stove before you start cooking. Keep your paper towels, dish towels, and paper cookbooks at a safe distance as well.

Fire Extinguishers

For added peace of mind, always have a fire extinguisher handy. If a grease fire should erupt, remember—water will only make it worse! Instead, use a fire extinguisher.

Are you looking for fire protection equipment for your home or business? If so, contact Northland Fire and speak with a helpful member of our team. For more information on this Superior, WI-based company, including their selection of fire alarms and fire extinguishers, check out their website.

inspection tag on fire extinguisher being marked

Fire Safety: 4 Steps for a Quick Check of Your Fire Extinguishers

You probably never think about your fire extinguisher until there’s a fire. When you’re faced with an emergency, you don’t want to discover that your first line of defense isn’t working. Northland Fire’s fire protection equipment experts recommends checking your fire extinguishers once a month to make sure they are working properly any time you need it.

These fire equipment specialists suggest the following procedures to keep your fire suppression system in working order:

Check Access: Make sure your fire extinguisher isn’t blocked by furniture or other belongings, especially if it’s kept under a sink or in the laundry room. Also, ensure that everyone in your family knows where to find it in case a fire does break out.

Check The Tamper Seal: Look for the tamper or safety seals and make sure they’re still intact. While a broken seal doesn’t always indicate a problem, it might mean that your extinguisher has already been discharged or lacks the pressure to perform efficiently.

Check The Pressure: Most fire extinguishers feature a built-in pressure gauge with the proper pressure notated. A visual inspection will probably be sufficient, but some have a test indicator you should push to get a reading.

Check The Condition: Finally, look around the outside of the canister for signs of damage, corrosion, or leakage. If the nozzle or other components look damaged or untrustworthy, you should replace it.

The specialists at Northland Fire can help ensure that your fire extinguisher is ready to assist when you need it most. With years of experience serving commercial and industrial clients throughout the upper midwest, they have the equipment to meet challenges of any size, from fire alarm systems to sprinkler system installations.

extinguisher in kitchen

Why a Fire Extinguisher Should be a Part of Your Home Safety Plan

Your home’s fire extinguishers should never be treated as an afterthought. Northland Fire is the go-to source for all of your fire protection equipment. Not only do we offer new fire extinguishers, fire alarms, and sprinkler systems to homeowners, we also have an extensive line of products designed for commercial facilities. There are many reasons why every home should have an operational and adequate fire extinguisher. In fact, this is one of the best preventive actions you can take to protect your family and your home.

Fire extinguishers are a wise investment and have considerable shelf lives. In a perfect world, you will never experience an emergency that requires a fire extinguisher, but the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have it is immeasurable. It isn’t something you replace every month; in fact, today’s fire extinguishers are good for ten or more years.

Modern fire extinguishers are made with chemicals that put the fire out but won’t damage or destroy other electrical appliances in your home or commercial property. Many people envision a fire extinguisher’s coverage is wide enough to take out the family computer, the microwave, television or other electrical appliances. That’s not always the case.

A fire extinguisher does not command a large storage space. Their compact designs make them a good fit near the areas where fires typically break out, such as near your stove.

You change the batteries in your smoke alarms on a regular basis, and you’ve created an escape plan with your family so that everyone can get out should a fire break out in your home. Isn’t a fire extinguisher just one more important aspect of your family’s protection plan? We invite you to reach out to Northland Fire to install and repair fire protection equipment in your home or office.