Safety… well it has always been that way.

Submitted by DonHester on Wed, 08/29/2012 - 08:56.

Safety… well it has always been that way.

Wenatchee and Leavenworth Home Inspections

As home inspectors one of the main issues is safety. As a former emergency response person I spent many years evaluating safety issues and planning. Looking for potential chinks in the armor as you may say, looking at probabilities of catastrophic failure and areas of risk.

I have grown up and worked in earthquake country, the Pacific NW. This is part of the famous “Pacific Ring of Fire”. So we were always planning for “The Big One” as we would say.

Safety and risk management is all about awareness. You cannot properly protect yourself or lessen the severity from an event/risk unless you have an understanding of what that event/risk is and what your limitations are.

This gets us to an interesting situation.

As a home inspector I see that most of us go through our lives (I am included) not paying attention to some of the inherent risks around us. But understanding the risk is a very important way to preventing an accident from happening or knowing what you should do in an emergency event.

We will never remove all risk, nor should we, it is part of being alive. But if you know if it is there then you can at least understand it.

CDC emergency preparedness and Prevention
FEMA- Emergency preparedness

This brings us to the important part of a home inspection. As home inspectors we may make recommendation for improved safety. Even if the home was built prior to the certain safety rules we still may make the recommendation with a reason, to improve safety.

Safety in your home
Safe Kids
Home fire prevention

Swimming Pool Safety

From there it is up to the homeowner or buyer to decide if they want to act on that recommendation. They do not have to but know they are aware of the concern.

Just because it has always been that way does not mean it is not without risk or is right. It just means that the opportunity/event has not met the risk.

A thorough and thoughtful home inspection can be a learning experience in how homes are constructed and potential areas of risk.

You hope to never need many of these safety features. In the event you do knowing what it is and having an idea how to handle it can be the difference in how disastrous or even fatal the emergency may be.

“Good Risk Management fosters vigilance in times of calm and instills discipline in times of crisis.

Dr. Michael Ong

NCW Home Inspections, LLC is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…

Your Wenatchee and Chelan Professional Real Estate, Home and Structural Pest Inspection Service

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Safety… well it has always been that way.