Fire, Page 1

  
     
 

fire

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About

  
 

Each year more than four thousand Americans die, and more than 25,000 are injured in fires.  About $8.6 billion in damages is caused.

  
 
 

By understanding the basic characteristics of a fire, you can protect yourself,  Fire spreads quickly; there is no time to gather valuables or make a phone or cell call. It takes just two minutes for a fire to become life-threatening.  And in five minutes, a building or house can be engulfed in flames. Fire can be a result of damage to buildings caused by an earthquake as well.

  
     
 

In fact, the heat and smoke a fire generates is more dangerous than the flames.  By inhaling the super-hot area, your lungs can be seared.  In addition, fire produces poisonous gases that cause disorientation and drowsiness. So instead of being awakened by fire, the victim may fall into a deep sleep. In fact, asphyxiation is the leading cause of fire deaths, exceeding burns by a three-to-one ratio.

  
 
 

Before

  
  There are a number of precautions you should take to prevent a fire. These apply to a house or apartment. Commercial buildings have sophisticated fire prevention systems. But some of the same rules apply for both.

Smoke Alarms

  1. Make sure that you install smoke alarms. If properly installed, your chances of dying in a fire will be cut dramatically.
     

  2. Place smoke alarms on every floor and basement. You should place the alarms outside bedrooms on the ceiling or high on the wall (4 to 12 inches from ceiling), at the top of open stairways, or at the bottom of enclosed stairs and near the kitchen.
     

  3. Make it a habit to test and clean smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries at least once a year. Replace smoke alarms every 10 years. If you do not know when an alarm was first installed use your best judgment.

Escaping the Fire
 

  1. Review escape routes and practice escape procedures.
     

  2. Make sure windows are not nailed or painted shut. If you have security gratings on your windows or outside doors, make sure that you have a fire safety opening feature thereby allowing you to easily open the windows or doors opened from the inside.
     

  3. Consider having escape ladders on hand if your residence has more than one floor. Also ensure that antitheft mechanisms blocking outside window entry and door entries can be easily opened from the inside.
     
  4. In planning your escape, make sure that each person stays low to the floor, This is where the air is safer when escaping from a fire.
     
  5. Clean out storage areas. Make sure to prevent trash, such as old newspapers and magazines, from accumulating.

     

Flammable Items
 

  1. In the indoors, never use gasoline, benzine, naptha, or similar flammable liquids. indoors.
     
  2. Store flammable liquids in approved containers in well-ventilated storage areas and never smoke near flammable liquids.
     
  3. Discard all rags or materials that have been soaked in flammable liquids after you have used them. Put them in a metal container (such as a trash can) outside.
     
  4. Insulate chimneys and place spark arresters on top. The chimney should be at least three feet higher than the roof. Remove branches hanging above and around the chimney.

Heating Sources
 

  1. Take care when you use alternative heating sources.

     
  2. Ask your local fire department whether it is legal to use kerosene heaters. If so, fill the kerosene heaters outside, and be sure they have cooled.

     
  3. Put the heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials; make sure the floor and nearby walls are properly insulated.

     
  4. With regard to the kerosene heater, use only the type of fuel designated for your house. Follow manufacturer’s instructions.

     
  5. Store ashes in a metal container outside and away from your residence.

     
  6. If you have open flames, keep them away from walls, furniture, drapery, and flammable items.

     
  7. Keep a screen in front of the fireplace.

     
  8. Make sure that you have heating units inspected and cleaned annually by a certified specialist.

Matches and Smoking
 

  1. Keep matches and lighters away from children. Store them in a locked cabinet out of reach.

     

  2. Never smoke in bed or when drowsy or medicated. Use deep and sturdy ashtrays. Douse cigarette and cigar butts with water before disposal.

Electrical Wiring
 

  1. Make sure that the electrical wiring in your house is checked by an electrician.

     
  2. Inspect extension cords for frayed or exposed wires or loose plugs.

     
  3. Make sure outlets have cover plates and no exposed wiring.

     
  4. Make sure wiring does not run under rugs, over nails, or across high-traffic areas.

     
  5. Do not overload extension cords or outlets. If you need to plug in two or three appliances, get a UL-approved unit with built-in circuit breakers to prevent sparks and short circuits.
     
  6. Where insulation is concerned, make sure that the insulation does not touch bare electrical wiring.

Other Concerns

  1. Close the door in your bedroom when you sleep.
     
  2. Install A-B-C-type fire extinguishers in your house and teach family members how to use them.
     
  3. Consider installing an automatic fire sprinkler system in your house.
     
  4. Call your local fire department and ask them to inspect your house for fire safety and prevention
  
 
     
 

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