Consumers' Post
Ethel Timbol
Fire Prevention Month
It's March again, and Fire Prevention Month.
With the start of the hot and dry summer season, the risk of fires increases. How prepared are you and your family to prevent, and if necessary, survive a fire?
Electrical fires, kitchen fires, and candles are the most common causes of house fires.
Check your home?s electrical wiring system. Are all your fuses and circuit breakers in good shape?
Check your fuse box, do you have proper fuses and none of those quick fix jumpers you slipped in when the fuse last blew?
Electrical circuits, wirings, and devices are designed with specific loads in mind and exceeding this load will cause overheating and possibly, a fire.
Immediately shut off and replace switches that are hot to the touch. Have an electrician determine the cause of the overheating and upgrade either the switch or the wiring.
If your electric fan is older than two years, there is a risk the fan may overheat and burst into flame, particularly if you?ve had the motor "rewound." Many rewinders remove the thermal fuse that prevents the fan from overheating and igniting, so it may be better to buy a new electric fan once the motor gives way.
It?s important to keep the fan clean and well lubricated, and the same is true with airconditioners. Clean fans and air-conditioners are more efficient and save electricity.
Since a fan may catch fire, it is important to use it away from flammable items such as curtains and most upholstery.
Poor quality extensions cords and even good quality overloaded cords can start a fire. Use extension cords wisely!
Never buy cheap 20 peso extension cords found in tiangges! Your extension cords should carry the "PS mark." The PS mark is your assurance that these products have been tested to comply with sound electrical standards.
Extension cords have varying wire gauges, where a lower number has a thicker wire. Most house wiring has a 10 or 12 ga., much thicker than a typical extension cord.
General purpose extension cords should be at least 18 ga., which have a safe load of 800 watts. Compute the total load of the devices plugged into the extension cord by adding the wattage figures usually found on the device.
Your extension cord should be at least as thick as the cord of the device you are plugging into it.
Some appliances, such as refrigerators, airconditioners, etc., should never be used with an extension cord. If you don't have a plug near the appliance, have a qualified electrician install an outlet near the appliance.
Never lay an extension cord under a rug or carpet where it will be stepped on, fraying the insulation and possibly causing a fire. Route it out of harm's way.
Kitchens are another source of house fires. If you use a gas stove, check your fittings monthly, and have your gas hose replaced yearly.
The rubber in these hoses tend to deteriorate over time, especially in a hot country such as ours. Install and use a safety device. In Quezon City, these devices are mandatory.
Microwave ovens, oven toasters, electric stoves, and refrigerators should be on separate outlet circuits. If there is only a limited number of outlets, don?t use high drain appliances plugged into the same outlet at the same time.
When cooking, don?t wear an outfit with long, loose sleeves which could catch fire.
Keep your kitchen organized and safe. Matches and lighters should be kept in a tin canister with a lid in a cool place out of the reach of children. Teach young children that fire is a tool, and not a toy.
When frying in oil, have the pan lid nearby so you can use it to shield yourself from spattering oil and cover the pan if the oil catches fire.
It is also a good idea to keep a jar of baking soda near the stove, and a small box of sand under the sink. Either can be used to douse an oil fire.
Being able to quickly extinguish a kitchen fire will prevent it from becoming a neighborhood disaster.
A gallon jug of water nearby is also handy, but never pour water onto burning oil! Use it only for wetting rags and the surrounding area.
If you can afford a fire extinguisher, keep a dry chemical type (good for wood, oil, and electrical fires) in the kitchen.
Smoke detectors are also a good investment. They cost very little, yet can be real lifesavers. Place a unit just outside the kitchen (not inside as normal cooking will trigger it), and another one just outside the bedrooms.
While bedrooms are relatively lower risk areas, evaluate the furnishings in the room: Are the curtains made of fire resistant materials? Are all of the electrical wiring (including extension cords) of good quality and properly laid out (e.g. not under the rugs).
It is important that each bedroom have at least two exits: The regular doorway, and a fire exit, whether a window exit or a route to another part of the house.
Window fire exits should leave to a way to descend to street level, whether through a metal ladder or a thick rope. Keys to the fire exit should be kept in a visible area within the room, but away from a window where they may be stolen.
Practice a fire escape drill at least once a year with all the members of the family, and designate a place outside the house, such as a nearby tree or street sign, that you can rendezvous in a home emergency.
If you live in a condominium, ask your building administration about their fire procedure.
Know the location of fire safety equipment, such as hoses and extinguishers. Even if you cannot operate these, if would help firefighters if you could direct them to the locations of these equipment.
Smokers should NOT smoke in the bedroom and if possible, in the entire house. Set up a smoking corner in a comfortable balcony or patio. There are many good reasons not to smoke inside the house other than fire safety. Your family's health is the main one.
Candles are another major cause of fire. Always use fat short candles, which are safer than long slim candles. Burn them in an appropriately sized glass container and place them on a flame proof surface away from any draperies. Never leave a burning candle unattended, particularly if you have pets or small children in the house.
Many households use the summer months as an opportunity to do repair and remodelling jobs around the house. Because of modern technology, new materials can help make your house fire resistant.
Fibre cement board, for example, should be used in place of plywood. Use asbestos free fiber cement board. If you can afford to take down plywood partition walls and ceilings and replace these with fiber cement boards, do so.
GI steel framing can also replace the wooden framing within your interior walls.
Walls and ceilings made of fiber cement and GI framing will not burn and will prevent a fire from spreading to an adjacent room for up to an hour.
Inspect electrical wiring while the wall coverings are off. If the wiring is more than 20 years old, consider replacing it. Vinyl insulation deteriorates and may be damaged by rats.
Electrical outlets and conduits near the floor should be relocated to waist level if your area is prone to flooding. In the rooms that need them, add outlets with new lines to the circuit breakers.
Paints also help improve your home's fire resistance. Interior and exterior walls should be painted with latex, which is non-flammable. Latex can also be applied on plywood if a primer is applied before the paint.
An even better choice is "Fire resistant" latex paint, which contains ceramic crystals that prevent the spread of fire.
If you plan to use thermal insulation, fiberglass is non-flammable,while HDPE foam burns. Use HDPE foam only if it has aluminum foil laminates on both sides.
For a little more money, consider installing a home sprinkler system using your existing plumbing and heat sensitive nozzle heads. A home sprinkler system will likely stop a small fire from spreading, saving your life and most of your property.
Unfortunately, it is possible that you may still find yourself in a fire situation.
First and foremost, STAY CALM, and THINK QUICKLY BUT CLEARLY. Your ability to think and act quickly and clearly will save lives, including your own and those of your loved ones.
Fires grow out of control faster than you expect.
In less than a minute, a small flame can transform into a major fire. Keeping a clear head will help you decide whether the small fire can be controlled and extinguished, or whether you should immediately leave the area.
Act fast! A typical home can fill up with thick black smoke in several minutes.
More fire deaths are caused by smoke inhalation than the flames themselves. If you must move through smoke, crawl with your head low and close to the ground. There is always a few inches of clear air near the floor.
If you encounter a closed door, feel around the edges of the door for heat. Touch the doorknob. If it is hot, or if you can sense heat around the edges, DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR.
Use the rooms? secondary exit, such as a fire escape. Even if the door feels cool to the touch, open it slowly. If smoke and flames come in, slam it closed immediately.
If you must charge through smoke and flames do it with a thick wet blanket over your head, but only as a last resort. If your clothes catch fire, remember the STOP, DROP, and ROLL rule.
STOP running, DROP to the ground, and ROLL to smother the flames.
If you find escape impossible, go to the nearest bathroom. Most bathrooms are made of concrete, and supply two things needed to survive. The first is water, fill any containers in the bathroom with water. If possible throw water into the adjoining room.
The other thing the bathroom provides is breathable air. Air? This may sound disgusting under normal conditions, but if the bathroom fills up with smoke, the drain system still contains breathable air.
Keep a small length of washing machine plastic tube in your bathroom. Put one end in your mouth, and the other end flush against the drain of the sink. Use a rag to seal the sink end, and breath in through your mouth.
For your info, there are professionally made survival kits based on this principle that have a face mask, drain coupler, and air filter.
If you are caught in a fire in a public place, such as a mall or cinema, the first thing to do is THINK CLEARLY. Quickly verify whether or not there really is a fire or other emergency, then decide what to do.
Visually identify the exit points and the paths to those points, but realize that in many cases, staying in place may be the best option.
Fires are preventable using common sense and informed knowledge. Fires are also survivable, if you have the sense and the knowledge to think clearly and quickly.
(Alex S. Timbol, president of Maccess Corporation, a management consulting firm, while doing research for this article, was impressed by information found in the websites of the Tacloban City FD, and the Region VII (Central Visayas
FD).
No comments:
Post a Comment