To ask what you have at home

[tootoasty]

Was talking with a colleagues yesterday about safety devises at home and they made out that I was kind of over the top with things I have.
They got the house alarm and ring cameras for security outside and things like first aid kits and co2 thingy but started laughing when I told them I had fire extinguishers upstairs and downstairs, with fire blankets in kitchen.
Just wondered what people have in their homes. I'd assumed everyone would have everything they could

And yes. I and many others meant carbon monoxide alarm. Not a co2 alarm

Oh and cow alarm....that made my whole day!

Basic first aid kit
Ring doorbell
Carbon monoxide detector
2 smoke alarms

Quite a well stocked medicine cupboard/first aid supplies, dh has also got one in the shed and for work (he's a builder). I jeep medicines and cleaning chemicals out of reach of small children. One smoke alarm (I know we should have more). That's it. House alarm doesn't work and some of the windows don't lock properly! Anyone could probably walk in at any time, but 90% of the time there's someone about. I know our security is dire, but we are working on it as we renovate the house.

@Hellorhighwater

Exactly.

It's about personal responsibility rather than expecting to be rescued. And the climate change emergency is really bringing this home.

A couple of years ago in my city there was a storm that wiped out electricity supplies for up to 2 weeks for many people. And caused catastrophic damage to hundreds of homes and businesses.

The emergency services cannot rescue everyone at once, especially when power and water supplies are affected.

We need to be more self sufficient so that emergence services can focus on the vulnerable.

Part of preparation is about working as a community, knowing your neighbours and sharing information and supplies.

But mostly it is about being a grown up and being able to manage basic first aid, being equipped with candles, a torch, a fully charged basic cellphone, a radio, water, blankets, and some non perishable food supplies.

Co2 and smoke alarms, very comprehensive first aid kit, and a full smart alarm system including cameras. No cow detectors though, wonder if you can get Alexa enabled ones.

I think maybe I should get a fire extinguisher or fire blanket? I thought you could just use a damp tea towel 😂. I should know better really because a few years ago, my mum's kitchen caught fire when we were out in the garden, they have no smoke alarms, it was the smell that alerted us.. a refuse collector happened to be passing at the time and saw my mum was in distress, he went in and grabbed a really old, archaic fire extinguisher that was left in the house from the people before (he said it was something they don't use anymore) anyway, it worked and then I grabbed a damp sheet off the line and put it over the rest of what was smouldering. Ruined her kitchen though and it could've been worse if a child was inside .

A small first aid kit and a few OTC medications (paracetamol etc), a smoke alarm downstairs, burglar alarm that we only use if we're away, and a soppy dog who definitely wouldn't defend us against an intruder.

Glock in a small gun safe in my nightstand

This is probably the thing that compromises your safety the most!

I have a ninja suit, some throwing stars, a water purification kit and four hundred tins of chickpeas in the bunker.

Smoke alarm, carbon monoxide tester (got brought up with the story of grandad’s cousin found dead in the bath due to faulty water heater) and first aid stuff / full medical cupboard - never know if h will be away and I’m stuck sick or kids and I don’t drive so it’s not like I can nip to the shops.

Fire/smoke alarm (wired to mains with battery back up)
Doors are all fire doors
Carbon monoxide monitor

Usual medications - paracetomol, steroid cream, plasters, antiseptic cream, prescription meds

Ground floor so no issues with getting out. When someone threw a firework in, I found out what was important - grabbed the cat and nothing else

Oh and a hive camera that gets used for filming the annoying teenagers and sending it to the police. Fun(!)

Fitted cameras front, back and in the garage after a spate of vandalism just after we moved in. Window smashed on our van, trailer cover slashed and alco-pop bottle thrown against the kitchen window. After that the main fuse for the house was ripped out while we were on holiday. No power to the house for about 10 days, the freezer really stank when we got back! Cameras fitted soon after that, and nothing in the 3 years since.

Cameras outside, inside just smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, some plasters somewhere in a drawer and various painkillers.

We have smoke alarms that are mains powered with battery backup in every room in our house(it's a bungalow) carbon monoxide detectors, First aid kits, fire extinguisher and blankets, the usual medicines, sensor lights outside, will be fitting electric gates and an alarm too

@DomesticatedZombie

I have a ninja suit, some throwing stars, a water purification kit and four hundred tins of chickpeas in the bunker.

And you're already a zombie, so you don't even need to worry about zombie apocalypse!

And yes. I and many others meant carbon monoxide alarm. Not a co2 alarm

I think what's confused some of us is that a CO2 monitor does actually exist so it wasn't clear whether or not it was a typo!

I have fire extinguishers up and down stairs and a fire blanket in the kitchen. Smoke alarms fitted as standard. I have been meaning to get a drop down escape ladder.
Having been to many fatal house fires in my past working life, I have a thing about carbon monoxide cos that’s what will kill you, not the flames. I buy monitors that give an actual reading. A reading of 50 can kill you over a period of 6 weeks and a reading of 100 can kill you in 15 mins (or there about).
Twice, it has saved me.
Once, moving into a new build with integrated garage the fumes were coming through into the house. There was a classic car in my garage running on leaded petrol and the housing company had not sealed my house from the garage.
Second time, I moved in with my partner who had a coal heated range to heat the house. Once we came in to hear the alarms sounding and a reading of 600 on the monitor. That would have killed in minutes and I thank God that my cats were out. The heating was promptly changed.
That was so weird, as I had to run in and out of the house holding my breath to open windows and when I did inhale there was ‘nothing’, it was just like opening your mouth but not not breathing.

I used to have a spare set of winters tyres for my car but storage and swapping them over was a pain… Too early? Too late?

We store our winter/summer tyres at the garage that swaps them over for us, dunno if that's an option elsewhere but pretty common way to do it where I live.

We have motion lights outside and cctv.
A fire extinguisher in the kitchen. A CO monitor and smoke alarms throughout. DP is an ex- fireman now a paramedic.
Medically-.We have numerous first aid kits, lots of OTC medications, dog medicine, and 2 defibrillators. One in the car and one in the house. My DP feels these are very important due to his job.

Yes, Octomore, I like to think ahead. I've also got a wee suitcase with garlic, a wooden stake and some holy water, under the bed.

Smoke alarms top and bottom of house, tiny fire extinguisher and fire blanket in store room, keep plasters for little cuts and have ancient tubes of Germolene. Most of these just because we rented the house out for a bit once and had to get them. No cameras, alarms or video doorbells.

Smoke alarm and some plasters and paracetamol. We're covered for almost every eventuality.

I recommend that people who don't know the difference between carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide should avoid making their own fizzy drinks