It was Benjamin Franklin who said, those who 'fail to prepare, prepare to fail.' When you think about things - and I mean, really think about them - the chances of disaster striking really aren't that low. I'm sure you've had enough scare mongering from the 10pm news, so I'll spare you that, but, we're all aware of how fragile life can, and we all realize how everything exists in fine balance.

As a volunteer firefighter, fire safety is very important to me. I also think that while all preparedness is important...it is much more likely that you will face one or more fires in your life than an earthquake, tornado, terror attack or some of the other major disasters we often read about on preparedness sites. One of my sayings is "Preparing for Life's..What If's". A fire is something anyone of us can face regardless of where we live or work. Below are some tips in regards to both general fire safety and well as how to use a fire extinguisher.

Being prepared helps alleviate panic as does, training and practice. Practice techniques; make every movement a natural one. Your hands will know what to do until your mind catches up. Muscle memory is repetitive actions without thought. Practice is the only way to achieve this. You must be mentally prepared. You must understand you did not cause the disaster, but your actions going forward are critical to you and your family's survival. You should practice any techniques described below before a disaster strikes.