【Home Tips】How to prepare for fire safety at home?

🔍 Why should Hong Kong families pay special attention to fire safety?

Hong Kong's residential areas are mostly high-rise buildings with limited space and high population density . In the event of a fire:

• The fire spreads quickly🔥
• Thick smoke and limited escape routes
• Neighboring units are easily affected

According to the Hong Kong Fire Services Department, common causes of household fires in recent years include:

• 🔌Electrical short circuit or overheating
• 🍳The oil pan caught fire while cooking
• 🚬Careless smoking
• 🕯 Candles or incense burning items
• 🔥Children playing with fire

💡Editor 's opinion : Hong Kong's home fire prevention strategy must take into account prevention + monitoring + response , and must be suitable for small units and high-rise environments.

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⚠️ Common high-risk locations for home fires in Hong Kong

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🛠️ Home Fire Safety Preparation (Hong Kong Edition)

1️⃣ Prevent fire

• Electrical safety
  • Use qualified safety certified products (Hong Kong Electrical and Mechanical Services Department logo).
  • The plug-in unit should not be overloaded for a long time to avoid "drag and drop".
  • Electrical appliances that are not used for a long time should be unplugged.
• Kitchen safety
  • Do not leave the stove unattended while cooking, especially when frying food.
  • If an oil pan catches fire, do not use water to put it out. Cover the pan with a lid or a wet towel.
• Fire Source Management
  • Incense sticks and candles should be placed on a stable fireproof base, away from curtains and paper products.
  • Smoking should be done outdoors and cigarette butts should be completely extinguished.
• Debris Management
  • Reduce the amount of flammable debris (cardboard, old newspapers, plastic bags) in your home, especially in corridors and terraces.

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2️⃣ Monitoring and early warning

• smoke detectors
  • It is recommended that each main space (especially corridors and outside the kitchen) be equipped with an independent smoke detector.
  • Check the battery regularly (once a month).
• Thermal sensor detectors
  • Suitable for kitchens to avoid false alarms caused by oil smoke.
• Home surveillance system
  • Can be connected to a mobile phone to receive fire alarm notifications instantly.

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3️⃣ Fire response equipment

• fire extinguisher
  • It is recommended to use a dry powder fire extinguisher (ABC type) , which can deal with fire sources such as electrical appliances, paper, and oil.
  • Keep at least 1-2 in your home, a must-have in the kitchen.
• fire blanket
  • Suitable for handling oil pan fires or small fire sources.
• escape equipment
  • Smoke mask (can filter out harmful gases and buy time to escape).
  • Flashlight (to provide guidance in case of fire or power outage).

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🏃♂️ What to do in case of fire

1. Stay calm and immediately assess the size of the fire.
2. Small fires can be handled with fire extinguishers/fire blankets.
3. If the fire spreads:
   • Notify family members to evacuate immediately.
   • Close doors and windows to slow the spread of fire (but do not lock doors).
   • Grab a smoke mask or cover your mouth and nose with a wet towel.
4. Do not take the elevator , take the stairs instead.
5. If trapped:
   • Close the door to prevent smoke from entering and block the gap (with a wet towel or cloth).
   • Go to the window or balcony and wave a brightly colored cloth for help📢.
   • Call the police immediately at 999 and state your location.

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📋 Editor's personal fire prevention plan (tested and suitable for small units in Hong Kong)

The editor designed a fire protection configuration for a 350-square-foot unit in Sham Shui Po:

• Heat induction detectors installed on the kitchen exterior wall (to avoid false alarms from cooking fumes)
• Smoke detectors installed in the living room and corridor
• Hang a fire blanket in the kitchen and place a 1kg dry powder fire extinguisher next to it
• Reduce clutter throughout the house and keep corridors clear
• Place a smoke mask and a small flashlight on the bedside table
• Conduct a fire drill with your family every six months

💡Result : When a cooking oil fire started overheating, the homeowner used a fire blanket to put out the fire in 10 seconds. There was no need to call the police, and the damage was limited to the pot.

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✅ Editor's fire prevention suggestion list

• Required installation : smoke detector (corridor), heat sensor (kitchen)
• Essentials : dry powder fire extinguisher, fire blanket, smoke mask
• Do's and Don'ts : Do not overload electrical appliances, keep fire sources under control, and reduce flammable debris
• Must-Practice : Fire Escape Route Drill for the Whole Family