Home Security: A Related Question

[Rock and Glock]

This may be in an incorrect forum; if so, I apologize in advance.

Due to where we live (North Texas - currently under fire alert), and where I often work (Oklahoma - same), my wife and I are very sensitive to fire danger currently.

Extending that to the home front, a smoke detector malfunction a couple of weeks ago made me question our fire preparedness. The dogs and the wife were sleeping soundly. I was Con White also, the smoke detector screamed, and I unlocked our BR door and shuffled down the hall Con Yellow in my skivvies. No smoke, no flames, just a malfunction (dust build-up). That incident gave me pause.

What I did right:

Had BR door locked
Checked for smoke
Changed the batteries twice a year
Fire extinguishers are present, current and accounted for

What I didn't do:

Have a solid PLAN(S)
Check the door for heat build-up before opening it
Clean the detectors regularly
Have a stocked bug-out bag with fire safety gear

I am now thinking about this in more detail (the "Plan"). Since we're in a rural area, my thinking takes that into consideration, as well as the large lake outside the back door. Security, weapon safety, retreat, retreat path(s) and method(s), bug-out bag, dog control, etc. So, my questions and observations are:

Do you personally have a fire plan?
Have you tested and drilled on it?
Discussed it with the family?
Does it include children and / or grandchildren? Pets?
Weapon(s) control?
Retreat paths and methods?
Do you keep hoses hooked up and ready?
Is your property fire-safe with brush and trees a safe distance from the house?
Contents of bug-out bag: fire suppression, breathing apparatus, fire shield blanket, safety gear, weapons, etc.?
Have you combined the above with BG scenarios?

What have I forgotten? I truly hadn't spent much time thinking about this until our drought, at which point the urgency increased. We have food and water rations stocked, among other things, but I had never really combined disaster planning with fire preparations. Until this fall, I figured calling 911 would suffice, but the firefighters might be spread pretty thin or even unavailable currently.

CC includes a lot of members that are very forward thinking and which spend time, effort and money planning for possible occurrences, as well as living in isolated areas. Your thoughts please?

If I've posted this in the wrong forum, please feel free to make a suggestion, but be kind!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[rstickle]

Are you on the first floor, or single story house? If not to you have a way to get out of the house without using the stairs in the house?

[P95Carry]

Fortunately we are not in an area where a brush fire would threaten us too much - semi rural, some houses around. That said - until we had rain - the corn field out back was pretty dry but the stocks were bailed this year so - really not too much combustible material.

House is single level except for one attic bedroom - escape routes are pretty good but - you do raise a good point in as much as - some sorta plan is always good to have, whether for a specific or just ''an emergency''.

[HappyGunner]

Just make sure you keep looking outside.
This was yesterday about 5:30pm cst.
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4011794

[P95Carry]

Damn! That looks way too close for comfort. I just hope you folks get some much needed rain soon.

[Rock and Glock]

It's a single story rancher with low windows - dogs could walk out the BR windows.

Yea - some of the film footage on TV is incredible too. A big brush fire being blown with 25-35 MPH winds really moves fast.

We've been lucky so far. Need lots of rain.

[Al Lowe]

...
What I did right:

Had BR door locked
Checked for smoke
Changed the batteries twice a year
Fire extinguishers are present, current and accounted for

Ok, I have a question here. Why lock the BR door?

[BCurry1]

I live in Oklahoma. These fires have got my wife and I thinking also. After the first couple of fires, I ask my wife, "If the house was to burn down, what could we never get back?" She said our wedding albums, and some pieces of jewelry that was giving to her by her great grandmother. We put together a bag that sits by the front door, and then i take and put in my truck when i go to work, that has all of these things in it, along with copies of our SS cards, DL's, Marriage license, Insurance polices, etc. I also went around the house and video taped everything, so i would remember what all we had, and then mailed a copy to my grandparents and my dad for safe keeping. I know its just stuff, but we have worked very hard to aquire it. I hope that others, not just in the wildfire areas, think about things like this also.

BEN

[nitrogen]

Look into a fire safe. They usually are within the 200 range, and put any important papers (deeds, social security cards, etc) as well as possibly some checks or cash in it.

I wouldn't keep this kind of stuff in my vehicle at work, etc, as if it got stolen, it'd be a jackpot for a thief.

[BCurry1]

The local news just did a story a couple of weeks ago about fire safes. They all ended up melting after being in a full house fire. I believe it was KFOR that did the story.

BEN

[nitrogen]

The local news just did a story a couple of weeks ago about fire safes. They all ended up melting after being in a full house fire. I believe it was KFOR that did the story.

BEN

I'd be very interested to see that. Were these safes UL listed?
I've got a UL class 150 safe that is supposed to last 4 hours with an exterior temp of 2000F, while the interior should not exceed 150F.

[Gunnutty]

My wife and I have a safety deposit box with pictures and a list of all gun serial numbers as well as a videotape of the guns and other stuff in the house. This stuff is to important to leave to chance. Uor box is only about 25 bucks a year. Cheap for peace of mind.

[Rock and Glock]

Ok, I have a question here. Why lock the BR door?

For security - additional time if something bad happens (we live alone without young 'uns).

[AirForceShooter]

you didn't wake up your wife before checking the alarm?

AFS

[Rock and Glock]

Heck - we were both awake. She just sent me out...like this...