Fireproof safes are the ultimate in protection. They resist flames and the very best models even offer protection against water damage! But as the careful reader may have noted, what they do is “resist.” Fireproof safes are a bit of a misnomer if one thinks of the suffix “proof” in terms of something like “water proof.” Just as there is a big difference between water resistance and actually being waterproof, so too with anything advertised as a fireproof safe.
A fireproof safe should really be called fire-resistant, then. These safes are available in various grades of fire resistance. The most common models offer up to half an hour’s worth of protection. This may not seem like a lot but most fires, statistically speaking, last only about half an hour. If you live in a big city, one with its own full-time fire department, it is likely all the protection you would have to purchase. Even with all the controversial budget cutbacks to local firehouses over the years, many New York City residents can expect response times within five minutes, and most can expect times well within ten.
Consider also the fact that in the history of some of the biggest names in the industry, manufacturers such as Schwab Corporation (a hundred and thirty years old) or Fire King (fifty years old), not one safe rated for an hour of fire protection has failed. Not a one.
When in the market for a fireproof safe, consider also investing in extra features such as impact and burglary protection as well. After all, it’s a safe! What use would it be to protect against fire when the far more common problem is burglary? Impact protection helps in cases of fire because while the safe is in no danger from flames, the floor or ceiling may well be! You wouldn’t want your valuables lost to a collapse, breaking the safe open.