Fire Safe­ty

Every year, fires occur in homes, causing damage to apartments and household items, and in some cases, health hazards. We place great emphasis on ensuring that homes have proper fire prevention measures, as the benefits of good fire safety measures outweigh the damage that can be caused by fire and smoke. We have compiled some helpful tips that are good to keep in mind:

• Each home must have at least 1 fire extinguisher and 1 smoke detector. We recommend that smoke detectors be installed in as many spaces as possible in a home. It's a good rule to have a fire extinguisher in the garage too. Get expert advice on which detectors are right for your home.

• Never put yourself in danger by attempting to put out a fire. If there is a large fire, emphasis should be placed on getting people out and closing off the space if possible to slow its spread. Call 112 at once.

• The lifespan of a smoke detector is about 10 years, and if it is beeping, it is probably time to replace the battery.

• Have a fire blanket in the kitchen and a gas detector if you have a gas stove. Never spray water on a fire caused by grease or oil. This will cause an explosion.

• It is best to store gas in well-ventilated spaces, preferably outside in a separate cabinet.

• Get professional guidance when installing an electric vehicle charging station.

• In apartment buildings, there should be a smoke detector on each floor in the stairwell. Do not use the lifts in case of a fire.

• Turn off all electronics. Carefully put away curling irons, irons, stoves, and other electrical appliances.

• Make a contingency plan in case of a fire. How to react and what are the escape routes.

• Smoke detectors

• Smoke detectors are inexpensive safety devices. Their piercing sound can save lives. Keep the following in mind regarding smoke detectors:

• Do not place smoke detectors in or too close to the kitchen.

• It is advisable to install smoke detectors in all bedrooms.

• It is ideal to interconnect all smoke detectors in the house.

• If the house has more than one floor, install smoke detectors on all floors.

• Smoke detectors should be placed on the ceiling, no closer than 50 centimetres to the wall.

• Replace the battery in the smoke detector annually, for example, on December 1st.

Test the smoke detector monthly by pressing the test button.

Fire safety is deadly serious.

Eldvarnabandalagið (Fire Prevention Association) has published a fire protection manual for homes. It recommends having smoke detectors in all rooms, fire extinguishers on the main escape route, and a fire blanket in a visible location in the kitchen. It is also imperative that everyone has at least two escape routes from the apartment. Eldvarnarbandalagið was founded in the summer of 2010 as a collaborative platform for increased fire safety, and Vörður is a member of the association.