Since the discovery of the fire way back 1.7 to 2.0 million years ago, it has had many functions that helped man in the course of its existence ever since. We use fire in our daily lives: cooking, keeping our home warm during winter, lighting up our surroundings, protection, etc. Can you even imagine what the world  would be without fire? Even with all the good things about fire, there are always shortcomings. Not only fire can be a handy helper but also be a vicious enemy. Statistics show that home electrical fires account for:

• an estimated 51,000 fires each year,
•  nearly more than 500 deaths, 
• more than 1,400 injuries, and 
• $1.3 billion in property damage (Home electrical fires, 2021). 
  Another study reported that electrical failures or malfunctions were the second leading cause of U.S. home fires in 2012-2016 (behind fires caused by unattended equipment), accounting for 13% of home structure fires.

Fires involving electrical failures or malfunctions accounted for the highest share of civilian deaths (18%) and direct property damage (20%).
Nearly two of five fires (39%) involving electrical failure or malfunction occurred in the cold weather months from November through February (Campbell, 2019).
As a matter of fact, there is much more to expect from fires. Every country in the world has its own story to tell about the wonderful acts, as well as the heinous nature of fire. A relief sign though is that the many inventors and developers of the world are creating ways and means for the people to combat through this battling evil. One feasible action that the human person now can do is to use smart plugs.

Smart plugs are a simple way to automate the wired devices in your home. To set it up, all you have to do is plug it into an outlet and then connect it to your Wi-Fi network by following the directions in the compatible app on your phone or tablet. Then, you simply plug a wired appliance, like a lamp or a fan, into your smart plug and you will now be able to control them on your phone from wherever you are. If you have a smart home hub, like an Amazon Echo or Google Home, you can also connect your smart plug to it so you can enable voice commands like, “Alexa, turn on the bedroom fan." (Smart plugs: What they do and how to best use them in your home, 2021). Smart plugs can automate just about anything in your house in minutes. Every electrical consuming device in your house can now be connected/disconnected using these devices. Smart plugs can indeed save lives by preventing the start of a fire that could possibly cause catastrophic events, such as the loss of lives.

There are a number of benefits we could get when we are to use smart plugs in our homes. One big advantage of this is that we can mitigate the risk of having many casualties damaged due to electrical fires. Another good thing is it is affordable! Supporting this endeavor would be of great benefit, not only to one, but many people. What we have seen already — the damage brought by electrical fires — is enough. As what Ms. Universe 2021, Harnaaz Sandhu, India, said, “this is the time to take actions and talk less, because each action could either kill or save nature.” This is indeed true.

In a nutshell, using smart plugs in homes to lessen the risk brought by electrical fires is a feasible solution. The damages that unwanted electrical fires have brought is no joke. Admit it, we do not want anymore to have more damage to come in our lives brought about by this adversity. Together, let us: Create a World Free from Unwanted Electrical Fires: Use Smart Plugs.

References:

Home electrical fires. Electrical Safety Foundation International. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.esfi.org/home-electrical-fires/  

Campbell, R. (2019). Home electrical fires. NFPA report - Home Electrical Fires. Retrieved from https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Data-research-and-tools/Electrical/Electrical 

Edwards, R. (2021). What Is a Smart Plug? (and How It Can Make Your Home Awesome). Retrieved from https://www.safewise.com/blog/what-is-smart-plug/ 

Smart plugs: What they do and how to best use them in your home. Asurion. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.asurion.com/connect/tech-tips/smart-plugs-what-they-do-and-how-to-best-use-them-in-your-home/