Fire Survival Tips

2/3/2022 (Permalink)

This house fire started by leaving a candle unattended.

Fire preparedness is one of the most commonly overlooked aspects of disaster preparation. Preparation is key to minimize the size and speed in which a fire can grow, allowing time to escape or wait for the fire department to come to the rescue.  

Did you know that if a fire starts in your home you may have as little as two minutes to escape?

Are you prepared in case a fire?

Here are safety tips that everyone sure know:

Preparation:

-Never leave heating appliances unattended in your home.

-Frequently check that all smoke alarms within your home are properly working.

- Take note of flammable items in and around your home.

- Remove pine needles, leaves, and broken branches from around your house.

- Pine shrubs can quickly catch on fire; so think carefully before planting them close to your house.

-During dry seasons, use your garden hose and spray the roof and side walls of your home.

-Store fuel away from your house and in approved containers.

-Learn basic firefighter skills by taking a fire course. This can prepare you to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to protect your family and home when fire disasters strike.

Escape:

-Obtain a complete floor plan of your residence.

-Identify all available exits, especially basements and attics.

-If there is an upstairs exit, make sure there are emergency ladders available and all windows/doors open easily.

-Plan several exit routes in case the fire does not allow you to use a certain exit.

-Identify a meeting location after you have exited the building.

- Once the escape routes are planned, test out the routes before an emergency and make sure they work efficiently.

Resources to extinguish fires:

ABC Fire Extinguishers – A popular active fire protection device to control small fires, not intended to be used in an out-of-control situation.

Fire Extinguisher Ball – A light weight ball that can be thrown into a fire causing it to self-activate releasing chemicals to suppress the fire.

Indian Pack - A portable water pouch with a hose, which can allow you to put out small brush or wildfires around your home.

Baking Soda- Use baking soda to smother a small fire before it can spread by sprinkling over the fire. This is great to use for grease fires.

Chimfex Fire Extinguisher - Fire suppressant used for chimneys and fireplaces.