HOUSE FIRES ARE YOU PREPARED? The destruction caused by a house fire is devastating.

. In less than four minutes, the heat from a house fire can reach over 590 degrees Celsius. According to Telesure MD, Thomas Creamer: The temperature can reach almost 150 degrees in rooms that are not even on fire and the smoke from a house fire can be so thick that your house would be completely dark in four minutes, even with all the lights on. What makes this matter particularly tragic is that most house fires are started by accident and could have been prevented. There are several leading causes of house fires. These include:

Electrical fires caused by devices such as heating units or faults in wiring or appliances Burning cigarettes Children playing with matches or lighters Wind-borne burning debris from a nearby veld fire

Thomas Creamer says that the following tips can help prevent a house fire: It is said that two out of three people who die in house fires were asleep when the fire began. Smoke alarms substantially decrease the chances of being caught in a house fire. Although these are not legislated in South Africa, it is a very good idea to install them, particularly if you have children. To ensure peace of mind, have your electrical installation inspected by a certified electrician just before the start of winter. Check that your household appliances have a label of a testing laboratory, indicating that it meets basic safety requirements. Dont overload plug sockets and avoid using several high-amperage appliances (any appliance that produces heat) on the same circuit. Dust, cobwebs and spider webs are enough to start a fire in an electrical system. Try not to leave an electric or gas fire burning when you leave a room for a prolonged period of time. Keep matches and lighters out of reach of children and make certain that any cigarettes in ashtrays are extinguished before you go to bed. Keep gutters free of leaves and grass as these can be easily ignited by embers carried on the wind. Store any fire wood or dry compost material well away from your house. If you live on the edge of a suburb, close to an open field and natural vegetation, clear away any dry woody plants from around your property's boundaries.

If you woke up to the smell of smoke, would you know what to do? Here are tips to follow in case your house, or something in it, catches on fire:

If a fire starts while you are cooking, put a lid over the burning pan or use a fire extinguisher. Never throw water on a burning fat or oil fire as it will cause an explosive reaction.

If a fire breaks out and you are trapped in a smoke-filled room, make your way to the door by crawling below the smoke. The purest air is closest to the floor. If you crawl to your door and the door knob is warm, do not open it. Use an alternative exit like a window. Don't stop to gather possessions, or call the fire brigade, you have to get yourself and your family out of the house immediately. Once you are safely out of the house, then you can call the fire department.

It is important to remember that posessions can be replaced but lives can not. Protect yourself and your family by planning an exit strategy in advance. Make sure everyone in your house is aware of this plan by having a practice drill every six months or so. It is also important to keep a fire extinguisher in a central, easily-located place, or one in every room. These preventative measures could be the difference between life and death, concludes Creamer.