How to Keep Your Fire Escape Safe in the Coming 2023 Winter?

With the winter around the corner, it’s time again to light up the fireplaces and enjoy the warm, cosy chit-chat. Who doesn’t love the Barbeque dinners with friends and family with the festive season setting in? However, amongst all the excitement and joy, we often miss out on fire safety. The sparks or embers from the fireplace or a burning candle are enough to cause a sudden fire breakout, leading to havoc consequences. And so, fire escape repair must be your primary concern this winter!

While you may be busy in the hustle and bustle of travel and holiday shopping, ensuring optimal safety of the building occupants and neighboring properties is your key responsibility. A little distraction and ignorance can turn all the gleeful faces into terrifying cries! Hence, conduct a fire escape inspection before the snow hits, and you are ready for a joyous Christmas time! Safety is in your hands till you are aware of the outcome of its negligence! 

Fire Escape Safety in the Winters

Though winter sets in the festivities, it is even the season bringing in most of the fire hazards! Ask why? The dry and cold climate encourages the easy spread of fire, and we already have numerous fire sources in this season. Heaters, fireplaces, candles, Barbeques, and festive lights are enough to spark a fire in any scenario.

So, fire escape maintenance is a requisite before and during the cold months. It ensures increased safety during emergencies. A fire breakout does not ring a bell, and you must be prepared to combat its impact.

How to prepare your fire escape for the coming winter? Let us check it out:

• A thorough fire escape inspection is mandatory before it begins to snow. You must ensure there are no loose steps, guardrails or corroded metal components affecting the strength and stability of the fire escape. The structure must be accessible and operational during need. Peeling or flaking paint is also a sign of damage, and you must fix it immediately. In other words, do the necessary repairs before your fire escape gets snow-covered.

• People love to decorate fire escapes with lights and candles during Halloween and Christmas. However, it is not a healthy practice for safe fire escape installation. Also, avoid using the fire escape for storage. It does not allow convenient egress during an emergency event. It will likely block the evacuation route.

• As a part of fire escape maintenance, always scrape off the ice from the steps and the ladder. Heavy snowfall can lead to thick snow accumulation, making your fire escape inaccessible. Apart from this, it even evokes trip hazards due to the slippery surface. Regular scraping of snow can keep its accumulation under control.

• When the snow melts, some may get stuck in holes and crevices, enlarging the cracks. It may lead to severe circumstances requiring prompt fire escape repair. Thus, avail treatments that reduce the amount of ice sticking on the surface. It curtails the damage extent and can save the structure from falling apart.

To Conclude

Fire escapes are designed for emergency purposes and are highly useful when kept in good condition. Being an external structure, it requires more attention and proper maintenance, especially during the winter season. The cold and constant snowfalls are the fundamental culprits of fire escape failure in the cold months. You must be extra vigilant to ensure your fire escape installation has come up with fruitful results!