Fire Safety...are you prepared?

We typically reserve October as our fire safety month in the fire service however on the heals of recent events I thought this would be a good time to reiterate some important facts about fire safety.  4 people including 3 children tragically died in a fire early in the morning on Nov 13th.  Fire Officials are unsure of what started the blaze but the fire appears to be a result of faulty wiring.  Another alarming point that came out of this tragedy is that there were no working smoke detectors in this home.  By the time fire crews arrived on scene the blaze was far too advanced for an interior attack to be made.  Its certainly a tragedy but it reminds us of the importance of fire safety.

I was not able to confirm this piece of information but one report stated that there have been something like 40 fire related deaths in the last month!!  That is an unbelievable fact and unfortunately I was unable to confirm its validity.  It does drive home the fact that we cannot reserve the importance of fire safety for 1 month out of the year.  As firefighters are purpose is to serve the tax payers who pay our salaries.  We must promote fire safety all year long and do what we can to ensure the safety of the communities we serve.  I know we all love fighting fires but if we are actually fighting fires then we have failed in fire prevention.  Fire prevention and fire safety are equally as important as training and preparing to fight fires.

What can you do to ensure you are safe in the event of a fire?  

Smoke Detectors:

    Make sure you have working smoke detectors on every floor of your home.  Make sure that those smoke detectors are located in bedrooms or as close to bedrooms as possible.  Be proactive in changing the batteries, don't wait until the detector gets that annoying beep to change the detectors.  A good rule of thumb is to change the batteries when you change your clocks.  

Choose a smoke detector with dual-sensor technology.  These detectors combine the technologies of ionization and photoelectric sensors.  So what does this mean?  Ionization detectors are the detectors we are most familiar with.  These detectors have a small amount of radioactive material between two electrically charged plates.  This creates a flow between the two plates.  When smoke enters the chamber it disrupts the flow and sets off the detector.  These detectors are more responsive to flaming fires.  Photoelectric sensors use a light source aimed into the sensing chamber.  When smoke enters the chamber it reflects light onto the sensor triggering the alarm.  Photoelectric sensors are more responsive to smoldering fires.  The combination of these two technologies provide better protection for your home.

Evacuation Plans:

   Evacuation plans are very important especially if you have children.  Its important to educate your children what to do in case of a fire.  EDITH is an acronym we use.  It stands for Exit Drills In The Home.  Create a plan and practice it.  Designate a meeting place outside of the home and educate your children that once they are out, they should stay out.  The second part of of evacuation plans is to ensure you have two ways out.  Make sure your family knows that if your primary escape route is blocked, they have a secondary means of escape.    

Fire Extinguishers:

   Make sure you have fire extinguishers in the home, especially in the kitchen.  Check them yearly and ensure that they are charged and ready to go.  The last thing you want to do with a grease fire is pour water on it.  Make sure you have an extinguisher handy in case of an emergency.

Fire Places:

    If you have a wood fire place, make sure you have it cleaned yearly to remove the buildup of creosote.  Creosote is the result of incomplete combustion in your fire place and builds up inside your chimney.  Excess creosote is the cause of many chimney fires.

Utilities:

    If your home uses natural gas make sure you check your appliances to ensure the pilot lights are lit.  Periodically check for leaks around the appliances.  If you think you have a leak, call your gas company and have them come out and check it out.  Newer homes are typically equipped with what is called CSST gas lines.  These are flexible, corrugated gas lines that have replaced black pipe gas lines.  If these lines are not properly grounded and bonded they can be susceptible to rupturing if your home is struck by lightning.

These are just a few of tips to help make your home safer in the event of a fire.  Its important to ensure you are prepared for the worst.  Take time to sit down with your children and discuss what to do and what not to do in the event of the fire, it could safe their lives.