Fire Safety

It is unbelievably scary to think of fires. They terrify just about everyone.

Yet, they are far more common than most people realize. Somewhere in the U.S., every seventeen seconds, a fire company is responding to a fire. That means that there are almost two million fires a year.

And these fires exact a terrible toll. About every two and one half hours, a civilian dies in a fire. Slightly more than eighty percent of these occurred in home fires. Most of these happen in the winter. January is the peak month. February comes in second and December is third.

While the overall leading cause of home fire deaths is smoking, during the winter months, fires triggered by the heating equipment also cause deaths. The primary cause of home fires is cooking. Schools and dormitories also have fires. While deaths are very rare, they do sometimes occur.

Yet, there are many ways to protect oneself—to reduce the risk of fires and to lessen the chance that a teen will die in one. Every home should have at least one smoke alarm. Most homes should have several. There should be at least one alarm on every level of the home, including the basement. Extra alarms in the sleeping area are also a good idea. New homes must have sleeping area alarms. They are also required to interconnect the hard-wired alarms. When one goes off, the others will as well. Why are fire alarms so important? Almost half of all home fires and three-fifths of all fire deaths happen in homes that do not have alarms. One should never consider skimping on this item. That means that every year thousands of people die senselessly when they may well have been prevented by something as small and inexpensive as an alarm. The majority of people who die in a home fire are not in the room in which the fire has started. A fire alarm gives people added time to escape.

Unfortunately, it has been estimated that in about one-third of the homes with smoke alarms, the smoke alarms fail to warn the occupants of a fire. The alarms are not functioning properly. Smoke alarms should be checked on a periodic basis to be sure that they are working, and they should be kept clean. The batteries should be changed according to the instructions of the manufacturer. It is recommended that smoke alarms be replaced every ten years, or sooner. New ones should bear the mark of an independent testing laboratory.

In addition to installing and maintaining fire alarms, one should take care when using portable heaters, fireplaces and woodstoves. One should always be in the same room as an operating portable heater and not left on if an individual is sleeping or in another room. These units should be kept at least thirty-six inches from anything that is able to burn. Some localities ban portable kerosene heaters, so an individual should check with their local fire department before purchasing this type of heater. When using a portable kerosene heater, one should only use the fuel recommended by the manufacturer. When refueling, one should always close the heater and let it cool down completely. Fireplaces should be professionally inspected at the beginning of each season and cleaned, if necessary. Woodstoves should show the mark of an independent testing laboratory. They must meet local fire codes and be properly installed and maintained. Hardwood is the recommended wood to burn not only for safety but for the amount of heat per log. It is not recommended to burn paper or pine boughs since they could float out the chimney and set fire to one’s home or the neighbor’s house.

The December holidays introduce additional fire risks. When entertaining, there are some fire safety guidelines:

Food should not be left cooking alone in the kitchen since unattended cooking is the most common cause of house fires in the U.S.
Candles should be placed in sturdy, non-combustible holders. Keep lit candles away from decorations or anything that might burn. Check them often.
Never leave a young child alone in a room with a lit candle.
Keep candles and matches out of the reach of children. One might wish to store them in a locked cabinet.
Candles should not be used to decorate Christmas trees.

Fresh Christmas trees should be placed in a tip-resistant stand away from heat sources and it should be watered frequently. Artificial trees should be marked “fire-retardant.” Lighting should bear the mark of a testing laboratory. Frayed or damaged cords should be discarded. One should not use inside lighting outdoors. Also lighting should be unplugged before retiring for the night or leaving home. And one should avoid overloading electrical outlets.

Even though it is very strongly recommended that teens not smoke, it is important to extinguish butts completely. One should check for smoldering butts in ashtrays. And no one should ever smoke in bed.

And how about camping out? Many teens love to spend time sitting around a campfire. Before starting a fire, one should check with the local fire department. Inquire if the area has received sufficient rainfall or is it too dry and unsafe to set a fire? If the fire department advises against setting a fire, then a teen should not start one. Fire personnel are very experienced with these issues. Even under the safest conditions, an adolescent must be careful to control your fire. Smaller fires are preferable. And fires should always be completely extinguished before leaving the campsite.

People are sometimes tempted to have permanently installed security bars placed on their windows. In areas with higher crime rates, residents may feel that they offer more protection. And while it may be true that that the bars discourage prospective intruders, in the case of a fire, they may also trap people inside. Further, security bars will inhibit the efforts of fire fighters. If a teen or his or her family believes that bars are necessary, then identify, in advance, possible exits and practice opening the barred windows and exit drills.

What should someone do if fire breaks out in his or her home? One should sound the alarm, if available. Then one should call the fire department. One should exit as quickly as possible and close the doors. That will contain the fire and smoke. If one of your exits is blocked by fire or smoke, then the teen should find another exit. Fire and smoke rise, so one may wish to crawl on his or her knees. There should be less fire and smoke on the floor. Before opening any doors, they should be lightly touched to determine if they are warm. If they are, then another exit should be found. But all should remember that fire may be behind a cool door, so cool doors should be opened slowly. And, if necessary, one should be prepared to shut it quickly. Once outside, the individual should move away from the building. Never reenter the building until permission has been obtained from the fire department.

If escape is impossible, the following are advised to improve the teen’s chances for survival:

Try to find a room with an outside window and a telephone
Close all the doors between you and the fire
Stuff the cracks around the door with towels or bedding or whatever is available
Call emergency personnel and tell them where you are
Signal for help at the window
While it will be difficult, remain as calm as possible. That will enable you to think more clearly and make the best decisions.

Related topics:

Accidents, fireworks injuries, smoking and tobacco