FIRE PREVENTION AND SURVIVAL
FIRE BASICS
*ALL FIRES REQUIRE HEAT, FUEL, AND OXYGEN
*FIRES CAN BE EXTINGUISHED BY REMOVING ANY ONE OF THESE COMPONENTS
HOW FIRE KILLS
OXYGEN DEPRIVATION (FIRE CONSUMES OXYGEN)
- NORMAL - 21% OXYGEN
- DIFFICULTY BREATHING - 17% OXYGEN
- UNCONSCIOUS/DEATH - 10% OXYGEN
POISONOUS SMOKE
- CARBON MONOXIDE - DISPLACES OXYGEN IN THE BLOOD
- HYDROGEN CYANIDE - PRODUCED BY BURNING WOOL, SILK, NYLON, SOME PLASTICS
- HYDROGEN CHLORIDE - IRRITATES THROAT/EYES
- CARBON DIOXIDE - CAUSES FASTER BREATHING THUS INCREASING INTAKE OF POISONS
- HEAT - CAN EXCEED 1100°F
EARLY WARNING AND PROTECTION
*MORE THAN HALF OF FATAL FIRES STRIKE WHEN PEOPLE ARE ASLEEP
SMOKE ALARMS
- IONIZING TYPE - PASS ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH SENSING CHAMBER, WHEN SMOKE ENTERS CHAMBER IT INTERRUPTS FLOW OF CURRENT AND ACTIVATES ALARM.
- PHOTOELECTRIC - THIS TYPE AIMS A LIGHT SOURCE INTO A SENSING CHAMBER. SMOKE IN THE CHAMBER WILL REFLECT THE LIGHT ONTO A PHOTOCELL AND ACTIVATE ALARM.
- HEARING IMPAIRED - ALARMS ARE AVAILABLE WITH STROBE LIGHTS.
- HEAT DETECTORS - USE IN KITCHENS AND BATHROOMS WHERE FUMES OR STEAM CAN TRIGGER FALSE ALARMS.
INSTALLING SMOKE ALARMS
- EVERY FLOOR OF HOME INCLUDING BASEMENT
- OUTSIDE EACH SLEEPING AREA OR IN SLEEPING AREAS UTILIZING INTERCONNECTED ALARMS WHEN DOORS ARE KEPT SHUT
- WALL MOUNTED ALARMS - 4 TO 12 INCHES FROM CEILING
- CEILING MOUNTED ALARMS - 4 INCHES FROM ANY WALL; NEAR HIGHEST POINT OF PITCHED CEILINGS
- BASEMENT ALARMS - CLOSE TO BOTTOM OF STAIRS
MAINTENANCE OF SMOKE ALARMS
- TEST AT LEAST MONTHLY
- REPLACE BATTERIES ANNUALLY
- KEEP FREE OF COBWEBS AND DUST
- REPLACE OLD DETECTORS (10 YEARS)
FIRE DRILLS/ESCAPING
DRAW FLOOR PLAN AND INDICATE AT LEAST TWO WAYS OUT OF EACH ROOM
HAVE A MEETING PLACE OUTSIDE
GET OUT AND STAY OUT
TEACH CHILDREN WHAT TO DO – PRACTICE
SURVIVAL TIPS
CLOSE DOORS
- EVEN A HOLLOW DOOR CAN PREVENT THE SPREAD OF FIRE/SMOKE
- IN A FIRE, TEST DOORS WITH BACK OF BARE HAND BEFORE OPENING
WHAT TO DO IF YOU ARE TRAPPED
- IF POSSIBLE, OPEN WINDOW ONLY FEW INCHES AT TOP AND BOTTOM. FRESH AIR SHOULD ENTER AT BOTTOM.
- STUFF CLOTHES OR TOWELS IN CRACKS UNDER DOOR
- STAY AT WINDOW AND WAVE FLASHLIGHT OR WAVE A TOWEL/SHEET TO HELP FIREFIGHTERS FIND YOU
GET LOW AND GO
STOP, DROP, AND ROLL IF CLOTHES CATCH FIRE
FIRST AIDE FOR BURNS
- 1ST DEGREE (REDDENED SKIN) - APPLY COOL WATER FOR 3 – 5 MINUTES (DON’T APPLY ICE)
- 2ND DEGREE (BLISTERED) - SAME AS 1ST DEGREE
- 3RD DEGREE (CHARRED TISSUE) - APPLY WET STERILE DRESSINGS, REMOVE CLOTHING NOT STUCK TO SKIN, LAY ON BACK, ELEVATE BURNED AREAS
LEARN NOT TO BURN
COOKING SAFETY
- NEVER LEAVE COOKING UNATTENDED
- KEEP STOVE CLEAN
- NEVER WEAR LOOSE, DANGLING CLOTHING WHILE COOKING
- TURN POT HANDLES INWARD
- MAINTAIN A KID FREE ZONE OF THREE FEET AROUND STOVE
- REMOVE LIDS FROM MICROWAVED FOOD
- LEARN HOW TO REACT TO SMALL FOOD FIRES
- COVER PAN GREASE FIRES WITH LID
- NEVER POUR WATER ON A GREASE FIRE OR CARRY PAN OUTSIDE
- DISCHARGING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER COULD ALSO SPLATTER CONTENTS AND SPREAD FIRE
- IF FIRE STARTS IN THE OVEN, CLOSE THE DOOR TO DEPRIVE IT OF OXYGEN
HEATING APPLIANCES
- KEEP PORTABLE HEATERS AT LEAST THREE FEET FROM WALL
- NEVER STORE LP GAS TANKS INSIDE HOME
- KEEP WOOD BURNING STOVES CLEAN
- NEVER BURN TRASH IN WOOD BURNING STOVE
CHILDREN AND FIRE
- STORE MATCHES AND LIGHTERS OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN
- TEACH CHILDREN FIRE SAFETY
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
- DO NOT OVERLOAD OUTLETS OR USE APPLIANCES WITH FRAYED WIRES
- USE GFIs IN BATHROOMS, GARAGES, KITCHENS, AND OUTDOORS
- PLUG ONLY ONE APPLIANCE INTO AN EXTENSION CORD
CANDLES
- NEVER LEAVE BURNING CANDLE UNATTENDED
- KEEP THEM AWAY FROM BEDDING, CURTAINS, AND WALLS.
- USE FLASHLIGHTS INSTEAD OF CANDLES IN POWER OUTAGES
FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS
- STORE OILY RAGS IN A TIGHTLY SEALED CONTAINER OR HANG THEM TO DRY OUTSIDE
- NEVER STORE GASOLINE INDOORS OR IN AN UNAPPROVED CONTAINER
- NEVER FILL GASOLINE CONTAINERS WHILE THEY ARE IN THE VEHICLE OR IN THE BED OF A TRUCK
PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
APPROPRIATE FOR FIGHTING SMALL FIRES IN THEIR EARLY STAGES
- KNOW HOW TO OPERATE IT BEFORE AN EMERGENCY
- EXTINGUISHER MUST BE RATED FOR FIRE YOU ARE FIGHTING
WHEN TO FIGHT A SMALL FIRE
- EVERYONE HAS LEFT THE BUILDING OR IS LEAVING THE BUILDING
- THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN CALLED OR IS BEING CALLED
- FIRE IS CONFINED
- YOUR BACK IS TO AN ACCESSIBLE EXIT
- LITTLE SMOKE PRESENT
*IF UNABLE TO FIGHT IT, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY AND CLOSE THE DOOR BEHIND YOU
THE FOUR CLASSES OF FIRES AND EXTINGUISHER LABELS
CLASS A - ORDINARY COMBUSTIBLES SUCH AS WOOD, CLOTH, OR PAPER
CLASS B - FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS SUCH AS GASOLINE, OIL, OR OIL BASED PAINT
CLASS C - ENERGIZED ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT SUCH AS WIRING, FUSE BOXES, AND APPLIANCES
CLASS K - FIRES IN COMMERCIAL COOKING APPLIANCES
FIRE EXTINGUISHER SIZE
CLASS
A OR B EXTINGUISHERS ARE LABELED WITH A NUMBER INDICATING ITS
EFFECTIVENESS; THE LARGER THE NUMBER, THE MORE IT CAN PUT OUT (EX. 1-A,
2-A, 5-B, 10-B, ETC.)
INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF EXTINGUISHERS
- SHOULD BE MOUNTED IN PLAIN SIGHT NEAR AN EXIT
- MOST IMPORTANT PLACE TO HAVE AN EXTINGUISHER IS THE KITCHEN, GARAGE, WORKSHOP, OR ROOM WITH A FIREPLACE.
- DISPOSABLE EXTINGUISHERS CAN BE USED ONLY ONCE.
- CHECK GAUGE OR PRESSURE TESTING MECHANISM (READ INSTRUCTIONS)
USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER
PASS
P - PULL THE PIN
A - AIM LOW
S - SQUEEZE THE LEVER
S - SWEEP FROM SIDE TO SIDE
*IF SMOKE OBSTRUCTS YOUR VISION OR THREATENS TO ENGULF YOUR
ESCAPE ROUTE, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FIGHT THE FIRE. LEAVE THE BUILDING.