House Fire Safety Tips

Just like you we want people to keep their promises and keep things simple. We expect something we purchase to be delivered with dedication to best practices, our best interest and professional conduct. This is exactly what you can expect from us through our Xactimate estimation services! For the last decade, CMA has built a nationwide reputation for being the go-to public adjusting firm for fire and large loss estimates.

Our Xactimate estimating service will help you focus on growing your business and signing more deals versus spending too much time working those deals. Our team of Xactimate estimating professionals come from years of experience and a diversity of roles within the insurance restoration industry including insurance adjusting, construction, and restoration. Moreover, they have integrity and everything written into each Xactimate estimate will maximize every justifiable penny. We have the talent you need to get the job estimated quickly and accurately.

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We’ve given CMA nearly 20 claims over the period of a few weeks following a catastrophic flood that hit our state. They push hard to get our estimates completed quickly so we can keep signing deals and helping people. And their fixed fee is perfect for our bottom-line.

With Thanksgiving now over, we have the remaining holidays to look forward to. For the northerners reading this blog, you have a lot of SNOW and freezing weather ahead. Are you prepared?

As public adjusters, we know the colder months also cause a spike in tragic house fires, because people are staying indoors for activities like cooking and smoking, not to mention the increased usage of electrical items. However, a destructive or fatal fire can usually be prevented by taking a few precautionary measures.

According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), there were 501,500 structure fires causing 2,685 civilian deaths in 2015. Most of these occurred during the coldest months from October to March.

There are several things you can do to prevent this from happening to you. Some are free, and those that aren’t free are affordable. The biggest hurdle is simply doing them! As per the NFPA, here are 7 different areas that need to be addressed, with an accompanying tip for each:

1. Smoke Alarms: There should be one smoke alarm on every level of the home, and one both inside and outside each sleeping area.
2. Cooking Safety: Keep the cooking area free from items that can catch fire.
3. Electrical & Appliance Safety: Do not run electrical cords under rugs.
4. Candle Safety: Candles should be in sturdy, fire-proof containers that can’t easily be tipped over.
5. Carbon Monoxide Alarms: Carbon monoxide alarms must be located on each level of the home.
6. Smoking Safety: Ask family members who smoke to buy fire-safe cigarettes and smoke outside.
7. Heating Safety: Be sure the chimney and furnace are cleaned and inspected yearly.

These tips will certainly get you started on the road to having peace of mind but if you want full confidence then check out this downloadable house fire prevention checklist. Included within the checklist are 20 more tips and a quick reference list for developing a home escape plan.

Why do more house fires occur and more people die from October through April?

Simple. It’s the holidays.

There is no other season where more people turn on their heat, cook meals indoors and invite friends and family into their homes. During the holidays these three things together cause more happiness and misery than any other time throughout the year. The biggest culprit among them all is Thanksgiving.

In fact, “Cooking fires in residential buildings occurred more often on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year.” – NFPA

Thousands of cooking fires are reported on Thanksgiving every year causing tragic and even fatal events with property damage soaring into the millions. According to G.I. Joe, “Knowing is half the battle”, so here are tips to help you avoid one of the greatest reasons for cooking fires across America on Thanksgiving Day.

4 Turkey Fryer Safety Tips:

1. Turkey fryers often tip over.
2. Too much oil will cause splashing onto the burner.
3. Overly hot oil will ignite.
4. A hot fryer can burn hands and cause accidental reactions.

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