Fire

Firefighters fighting a blazing fire

Duplicity of Fire

Of all the natural disasters fire is the only one that is both beneficial to man and his environment as well as destructive and deadly.

Man has depended on it for centuries from cooking and heating to a major source of lighting.

And yet, thousands of people die each year as a result of either house fires or wildfires, with direct property loss estimated at $8.6 billion annually.

Common Uses

Cooking - roasting on coals, grilling, baking in pit or stone oven
Steam bending wood - recurve and reflex bows & bending basket rim sticks
Smoking hides and meat to preserve,
Softening tar and pitch for adhesive,
Heat treating stone for tools and therapy,
Communication - signaling,
Smoking tobacco and medicines,
Cauterizing wounds,
Repelling predators,
Heating shelters,
Lighting - candles and torches,
Landscape modification - general burning to revitalize plant communities for greater abundance
Hunting - smoking bees from a hive

Major Causes of Residential Fires

Electrical accidents or neglect - misuse of wiring and electrical appliances, leaving a curling iron on, or an electric blanket, shorting out of small appliances such as lamps, toasters and even baby monitors.

Smoking - a dropped cigarette or children playing with matches and lighters, inadequate ashtray.

Kitchen accidents - unattended pots on the stove or the burner being left on accidentally.

Heating equipment - space heaters, gas heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces, mainly in winter months. Portable heaters can be knocked over or placed too close to flammable materials, or they are inadequately guarded. All heaters could overheat if obstructed.

Burning refuse/rubbish - accumulating in work or storage areas.

Hazardous goods - materials such as paints, adhesives or other chemicals.

Arson - by mischievous children and adults, facilitated by ineffectively secured buildings.

Specific hazards - machinery in dusty environments, heated equipment (e.g. soldering irons), blow lamps, cutting and welding equipment, flammable liquids.

Basic Characteristics

To protect yourself, it is important to understand the basic characteristics of fire.

It spreads quickly; there is no time to gather valuables or make a phone call.
In just two minutes, it can become life-threatening.
In five minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames.
The heat and smoke can be more dangerous than the flames.
Inhaling the super-hot air can sear your lungs.
Fire produces poisonous gases that make you disoriented and drowsy.
Instead of being awakened by a fire, you may fall into a deeper sleep.
Asphyxiation is the leading cause of fire deaths, exceeding burns by a three-to-one ratio.

Wildfire

The threat for people living near wildland areas or using recreational facilities in wilderness areas is real. Dry conditions at various times of the year and in various parts of the United States greatly increase the potential for of this type of natural disasters.

Advance planning and knowing how to protect buildings in these areas can lessen the devastation. There are several safety precautions that you can take to reduce the risk of losses.

To reduce the risk, you'll need to consider the topography of your property and the nature of the vegetation close by.
Learn about the history of wildfire in your area.
Be aware of recent weather. A long period without rain increases the risk of wildfire.
Consider having a professional inspect your property and offer recommendations for reducing the risk.
Determine your community's ability to respond to wildfire.
Are roads leading to your property clearly marked? Are the roads wide enough to allow emergency equipment to get through?
Is your house number visible from the roadside?

How to Prepare

The following are things you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your property:

Smoke Alarms

Install smoke alarms. Properly working smoke alarms decrease your chances of dying by half.
Place smoke alarms on every level of your residence. Place them 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 (but not in) the kitchen.
Test and clean smoke alarms once a month and replace batteries at least once a year. Replace smoke alarms once every 10 years.

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Escaping

Review escape routes with your family. Practice escaping from each room.
Make sure windows are not nailed or painted shut. Make sure security gratings on windows have a fire safety opening feature so they can be easily opened from the inside.
Consider escape ladders if your residence has more than one level, and ensure that burglar bars and other antitheft mechanisms that block outside window entry are easily opened from the inside.
Teach family members to stay low to the floor (where the air is safer in a fire) when escaping.
Clean out storage areas. Do not let trash, such as old newspapers and magazines, accumulate.

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Flammable Items

Never use gasoline, benzine, naptha, or similar flammable liquids indoors.
Store flammable liquids in approved containers in well-ventilated storage areas.
Never smoke near flammable liquids.
Discard all rags or materials that have been soaked in flammable liquids after you have used them. Safely discard them outdoors in a metal container.
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

Be careful when using alternative heating sources.
Check with your local fire department on the legality of using kerosene heaters in your community. Be sure to fill kerosene heaters outside, and be sure they have cooled.
Place heaters at least three feet away from flammable materials. Make sure the floor and nearby walls are properly insulated.
Use only the type of fuel designated for your unit and follow manufacturer’s instructions.
Store ashes in a metal container outside and away from your residence.
Keep open flames away from walls, furniture, drapery, and flammable items.
Keep a screen in front of the fireplace.
Have heating units inspected and cleaned annually by a certified specialist.

Matches and Smoking

Keep matches and lighters up high, away from children, and, if possible, in a locked cabinet.
Never smoke in bed or when drowsy or medicated. Provide smokers with deep, sturdy ashtrays. Douse cigarette and cigar butts with water before disposal.

Electrical Wiring

Have the electrical wiring in your residence checked by an electrician.
Inspect extension cords for frayed or exposed wires or loose plugs.
Make sure outlets have cover plates and no exposed wiring.
Make sure wiring does not run under rugs, over nails, or across high-traffic areas.
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.
Make sure insulation does not touch bare electrical wiring.

Other

Sleep with your door closed.
Install A-B-C-type fire extinguishers in your residence and teach family members how to use them.
Consider installing an automatic sprinkler system in your residence.
Ask your local fire department to inspect your residence for safety and prevention.

Kidde 466204 Pro 10 MP Fire Extinguisher, UL Rated 4-A, 60-B:C, Red

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How to Survive

In a Vehicle

This is dangerous and should only be done in an emergency, but you can survive the firestorm if you stay in your car. It is much less dangerous than trying to run from a fire on foot.
Roll up windows and close air vents. Drive slowly with headlights on. Watch for other vehicles and pedestrians. Do not drive through heavy smoke.
If you have to stop, park away from the heaviest trees and brush. Turn headlights on and ignition off. Roll up windows and close air vents.
Get on the floor and cover up with a blanket or coat.
Stay in the car. Do not run! Engine may stall and not restart.
Air currents may rock the car. Some smoke and sparks may enter the vehicle.
Temperature inside will increase. Metal gas tanks and containers rarely explode.

In your Home

Fires get hot and smoky fast. It is hard to breathe and to see during a fire.
The air near the ground is cleaner and easier to breathe, so crawl on the floor to your fire exit.
Feel to see if the door is hot. If it is hot, do not open it. Go to your second exit. If the door is cool, open it and see if you can go out through the hallway.
Go outside as soon as you can and go to your family’s safe meeting place outside.
Do not stop and look for anything or anyone.
If you cannot get outside, do not hide in a closet or under the bed.
If you can’t get out of your room, make sure firefighters can see you when they come in.
If you do find yourself trapped inside your home during a wildfire, stay inside and away from outside walls. Close doors, but leave them unlocked.
Keep your entire family together and remain calm.

IF YOUR CLOTHES CATCH ON FIRE

STOP, DROP and ROLL.
First, stop where you are. Fire is scary, but running when your clothes are on fire will not help.
Second, drop to the ground. Third, roll over and over until the fire goes out. Call out for help while you roll on the ground. Someone will come to help put out the fire.

Caught in the Open

The best temporary shelter is in a sparse fuel area. On a steep mountainside, the back side is safer. Avoid canyons, natural "chimneys" and saddles.
If a road is nearby, lie face down along the road cut or in the ditch on the uphill side. Cover yourself with anything that will shield you from the fire's heat.
If hiking in the back country, seek a depression with sparse fuel. Clear fuel away from the area while it is approaching and then lie face down in the depression and cover yourself. Stay down until after it passes!

What to do After

If you are with burn victims, or are a burn victim yourself, call 9-1-1; cool and cover burns to reduce chance of further injury or infection.
If you detect heat or smoke when entering a damaged building, evacuate immediately.
If you are a tenant, contact the landlord.
If you have a safe or strong box, do not try to open it. It can hold intense heat for several hours. If the door is opened before the box has cooled, the contents could burst into flames.
If you must leave your home because a building inspector says the building is unsafe, ask someone you trust to watch the property during your absence.

Additional Resources

Austin, one of my site visitors from Vermont, suggested listing this site about Fire Safety for Kids - check it out! http://www.delmarfans.com/home-fire-safety/

Surviving Fire - http://survivingfire.com/

Fema - http://www.fema.gov/hazard/fire/index.shtm