Educating Your Customers About Home Fires

Electrical contractors provide safe and reliable power to homes and businesses throughout the country. Through their expertise, they can also help to safeguard their customers about electrical hazards and prevent fires.

Oftentimes, schools or businesses may invite you or one of your employees to speak about electrical safety, or you may wish to share tips on social media. Here are some resources to give you a head start.

1. Create awareness about the danger of overloaded circuits. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 47,700 home fires are caused by electrical failures or malfunctions each year, leading to 418 deaths, 1,570 injuries, and $1.4 billion in property damage. To educate homeowners, you can download a free Electric Safety Foundation International flier. This one-page infographic explains the warning signs of overloaded circuits and offers strategies to prevent home fires.
2. Educate about electrical safety both inside and outside the home. The NFPA offers a specialized PDF designed for electrical contractors to distribute to their customers. The online toolkit includes a checklist on electrical safety. As an added bonus, electrical contractors can customize the flier with the name of their company as well as their contact information.
3. Focus on fire safety. The U.S. Fire Association features handouts in English and Spanish. Also, contractors can download a curriculum to learn how to create a fire safety trailer to provide hands-on learning opportunities for students.

Fischbach is a freelance writer based in Overland Park, Kan. She can be reached at [email protected].