Noah and Joshua L. live in Memphis, TN with their parents.
One day, the two boys were playing in their backyard when they smelled smoke.
Joshua immediately ran inside his house and told his mom there was a fire next door.
His mother called 911 while the boys looked into their neighbor’s yard and saw the wooden deck was on fire.
The boys admitted that they were scared but it didn’t stop them from trying to save their neighbor’s house.
While they waited for the fire department, the boys grabbed the water hose in their backyard and began spraying over the fence onto their neighbor’s porch.
At one point, the fire was intense enough that the boys were almost burned when they looked over the fence.
So, once they had one hose on the fire, they grabbed a hose from the front of their house and turned it on.
The two brothers continued fighting the fire with both water hoses from their home.
“I got on top of the ladder and started spraying the fire,” Joshua said.
By the time firefighters arrived, the two had put the fire out.
“We put out the fire before the fire people came,” Noah said.
The two boys were recognized by Shelby County and were awarded certificates for their heroic actions.
“I don’t know why people would be calling me a hero. I was just doing what I was supposed to do because no one else was around,” Joshua said.
The thing is a lot of people have prepared for home fires by buying a fireproof safe, installing smoke detectors, and having a fire escape plan.
But there is also the chance you may be forced to fight the fire.
I’m not saying you should risk your life to save property, and the most important thing during a house fire is definitely to get everyone out.
But, after a disaster, the fire department might not be able to get to you and you may have to deal with a house fire on your own.
And this is exactly why you should make fire suppression part of your survival plan.
So, here are a few ways you can fight a fire and save your house if the need arises:
Fire extinguishers:
Seems obvious, right?
But over 60% of U.S. households don’t have a fire extinguisher.
It’s a piece of gear that is so simple that it’s often overlooked.
But it can save lives and property if a fire breaks out.
There are many types of fire extinguishers you can get.
A basic one such as the First Alert Fire Extinguisher sells for $25 on Amazon.
It’s an inexpensive item that can save your house.
Fire extinguishers should be placed in areas of escape like hallways or near doors where you are likely going to be running to get out of the house.
Also, if you already have a fire extinguisher check the expiration date.
They don’t last forever, and they are inexpensive to replace, so ensure yours is within the useful lifecycle date.
Fire blanket:
Fire blankets are ideal for putting out smaller fires with no mess.
They are effective on liquid or grease fires where water might not help.
These blankets are made from fire-retardant material and fiberglass.
Depending on the specific blanket they can withstand temperatures of 1000 degrees.
Another benefit of fire blankets is that they don’t expire so you don’t have to worry about replacing them every few years.
Buckets and hoses:
Five-gallon buckets should be part of your survival plan for many reasons.
Not only are they great for food storage, but they can also fight fires.
With multiple five-gallon buckets, you can dump a lot of water on a small fire quickly.
Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure you have garden hoses that can reach every part of the exterior of your house.
If your hose isn’t long enough you can add a second hose with a connector.
So, you can have two or three hoses connected to make sure you can reach all areas of your home.
Fire suppression is something you need to be prepared for but don’t put yourself in mortal danger to do it.
The priority should be to remain safe and get out of the house if things get out of hand.
