When the only thing left standing after a rampaging fire is your fire safe with precious valuables inside, unaffected by the disaster, that’s the moment of confirmation when you think: “Yes. This is exactly why I invested in a high quality safe.”
Don Koester, owner of Four Lakes Chelan Winery in Chelan, WA, had the same thought when his wine-bottling warehouse went up in flames in May 2013. Koester’s AMSEC safe with fire protection held his extensive and irreplaceable coin and stamp collection, among other valuables.
After the fire, Koester saw his safe, but remained afraid…would the safe’s assured fire protection really hold up to its promise? “I was devastated at my losses and it took this long to get my courage up,” he said.
When he finally did muster the courage to open the safe door, Koester was amazed: “lo and behold, nothing was damaged other than some smoke.”
Pray for the best, prepare for the worst, right?
Many times people think that the primary reason to get a safe is to protect their valuables against burglaries, but the home fire statistics may surprise you. In 2011, U.S. fire departments responded to 370,000 home structure fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association, which is proof why a safe’s fire rating is so important.
Find out how much fire protection your safe has with the fire rating…30 minutes? One hour? Two hours? There are also specific “fire safes,” which are designed with the primary purpose of being protective barriers against heat. Gun Safes are popular and have variable amounts of fire protection, so if you have rifles or just need a larger fire rated safe, compare the specs on rifle safes and choose the right safe for you.
To find out more about fire ratings, burglary classification, and more, check out our Classes of Safes Infographic, or ask us a question below. We’d love to hear from you!
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