FIRE SAFETY AND PREVENTION Issue 3

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Fire Safety

Issue 3

PLEDGE TO PREPARE – AWARENESS TO ACTION

According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, fire claims the lives of 4,000 Americans and injures over 20,000 people annually. To protect you and your family, please read this newsletter, implement the precautions, and share with your family and friends.

As part of September Preparedness month, we are taking this week to look at fire safety. We will describe fire prevention while cooking and during the holiday season with electrical fires, as well as creating and implementing a family fire escape plan.

Fire Facts: In less than 30 seconds, a small flame can become a major, out of control fire. Fire is fast! Most deadly fires occur in the home when people are sleeping. If you wake up to a fire, you won’t have time to grab valuables. There may only be time to escape!

Not only is fire fast, but it is HOT! Surprisingly, heat is more threatening than the flames themselves. A fire’s heat alone can kill. Room temperatures in a fire can be 100 degrees at floor level and up to 600 degrees at eye level. Inhaling this hot air can scorch your lungs; the heat can also melt your clothes to your skin. In five minutes, a

room can get so hot that everything ignites at once: this is called flashover.

Fire is also dark! The fire isn’t actually bright, it’s pitch black. Fire starts bright, but quickly produces black smoke and complete darkness. If you wake up in a fire you may be blinded and unable to get around the home you have lived in for years!

Lastly, fire is DEADLY. Smoke and toxic gases can kill more people than flames do. Fire uses up the oxygen you need and produces smoke and poisonous gases that kill. Breathing even small amounts can make you drowsy, out of breath, and even disoriented.

Knowing the true nature of fire and using safety precautions is the best way to prepare our families and friends. Having a sound escape plan can also greatly reduce your risks of injury or death from fire.

Be Prepared! Please take a moment to read through this newsletter, and Pledge to be Prepared!!!

FACTS ACCORDING TO THE US FIRE ADMINISTRATION:

Here are some educational fire facts:

Indiana’s fire death rate is 12.5 deaths per million population, which is higher than the national rate of 11.0 deaths per million.

In 2000, the national Fire Death Rate was 14.8 per million population.

The past ten year trend from the year 2000 through 2009 shows that the national Fire Death Rate (per million population) is down by 19.6%.

In 2012, the dollar loss due to Residential Building Fires was approximately $6,646,900,000.

There were 92,250 wild fires in 2009,over an area of 5,921,786 acres.

An estimated 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings are reported each year.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2011 there were 1,389,500 fires, with 3,005 death and 17,500 injuries.

Fire Safety and Prevention

FIRE SAFETY SAFETY | Issue 3 2

Cooking has been the leading cause of reported home fires and home fire injuries since 1990. Unattended cooking was by far the leading cause of these fires; Two-thirds of home cooking fires began with ignition of cooking materials, including food, cooking oil, fat, or grease, so take a look at these tips to help prevent a fire in your kitchen!

Stay safe while cooking:

Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short time, turn off the stove.

Wear short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking.

Do not cook if you are sleepy, have been drinking alcohol, or have taken medicine that can make you drowsy.

Keep children away from cooking areas.

Position barbeque grills at least 10 feet away from siding and deck railings, and out from under over hanging branches or eaves.

Do not place potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging and towels near the stovetop.

Turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge.

Always keep the stovetop, oven, and burners clean.

Do not use a wet oven mitt or potholder because this can cause scald burns.

Replace old pot holders and oven mitts.

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December is the most dangerous month for electrical fires, and deaths are most common in winter months when people tend to use lighting, heating and appliances more often. Electrical fires claim the lives of 485 Americans each year and injure over 2,000 more.

Most electric fires start in the bedroom and are a result of “fixed wiring” problems such as faulty outlets and old wiring. Many avoidable fires are caused by overloading circuits or by the misuse of electrical cords.

A few electric safety tips include: 1) replace all worn, old or damaged appliance cords 2) do not overload extension cords or wall outlets 3) keep clothes, linens, and

combustible items at least three feet away from portable heaters 4) use safety closures to “child-proof” electrical outlets.

Holiday fire safety tips: 1) select a fresh tree with green needles (the trunk should also be sticky) 2) do not place your tree close to a heat source, such as a fireplace or heating vent 3) take your tree down after two weeks and water it every day 4) inspect your holiday lights annually by looking for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive wear 5) use nonflammable decorations 6) place candles in stable holders and out of reach of children and pets 7) do not leave candles unattended.

Kitchen Safety

Electrical and Holiday Lighting Safety

For additional tips on cooking safety download the National Fire Protection Association’s Cooking Safety tip sheet

here.

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ALARMS AND EXTINGUISHERS!

Fire Extinguisher Putting out a fire: P – Pull the pin on top. A – Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire. S – Squeeze the handle approximately eight feet away from the fire. S – Sweep the extinguisher back and forth across the base.

Fire Alarm Check the batteries frequently, replace the entire unit every 8-10 years, install on every level (including basement), and never disable while cooking.

FIRE ESCAPE PLANNING

WHEN IN DOUBT….

CALL 911!

Many fire injuries can be avoidable if you have a sound escape plan. You and your family should establish a plan that outlines at least two exits from each room in your home. If the primary exit is blocked by fire or smoke, you will need a second way out.

Every member of your family should practice the plan both in the light and in the dark so that everyone knows how to feel their way out of the house. Plan ahead!

When creating an escape plan, incorporate the following elements:

When coming to a closed door, use the back of your hand to feel the top of the door, doorknob, and the crack between the door and frame to make sure the fire isn’t directly outside. If the door is hot, use your secondary exit. If it feels cool, brace yourself against it and open it slowly.

Do not waste any time trying to save your personal property. Instead, get out quickly!

If you must escape through smoke, crawl low under the smoke and cover your mouth.

Establish a meeting place outside of the home where everyone knows to go once they are safely out. Designate one person to go to a neighbor’s house to call the fire department.

Never go back into a burning home for any reason.

If You Are at Work: There are over 5,000 office fires annually, so if you see or smell a fire at work, make sure to follow the advice given below:

Notify building security or the fire department immediately. Designated security personnel will alert all employees in the building.

Locate the nearest unobstructed exit or most appropriate escape route and leave the building immediately.

When exiting, do not use the elevator.

After exiting the building, report to a designated meeting area to check in.

Do not re-enter the building until authorities give the “all-clear” signal.

Family Escape Planning

Practice your home escape plan OFTEN. Most injuries can be prevented! Make a plan and be prepared!

Proper planning can make the difference between life and death. For more helpful escape planning tips download the National Fire Protection Association’s

safety tip sheet here.

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What to Do if You Are Trapped If you are trapped in a fire, stay calm and take steps to protect yourself. If you can, go to a room with an outside window and call for help. Please remember to stay where rescuers can see you, and if you have one available, wave a light colored cloth to attract attention. Open windows if you can, but be ready to shut them if smoke rushes in. One last piece of advice is, if you are trapped, stuff clothing, towels, or papers around the cracks in the doors to prevent as much smoke as you can from entering the room.

Protect Your Pets Help save the life of your pets. Place stickers on your windows to alert firefighters that pets are in your home. Firefighters will protect people and property first, but will save pets if they possibly can. Since animals can be confused during an emergency, keep leashes in the same place so they can be grabbed quickly if you need to evacuate the home.

An animal emergency kit can also be easily put together with bags of food and bottles of water. A cat owner’s kit should also include a litter box and litter. It’s important for pet owners to have carriers on hand, since some shelters do not allow pets without them.

Bedroom Fire Safety Never smoke in bed or leave

cigarettes burning unattended in the bedroom.

Don’t burn a candle here. You might fall asleep before extinguishing it.

Make sure no clothing or other flammable items are near lights, especially in the closet.

Don’t let children play in closets. Many fires are started by kids playing with matches in closets.

Exterior Fire Safety Make sure you have a chimney

screen. Hot ashes and embers can

escape onto your roof or nearby trees. Have your chimney cleaned every three years for normal use, but every year if you burn a lot of wood.

Keep outdoor cooking equipment away from the house and combustible porch or deck. Never use any liquid fuel after the fire is lit. Store charcoal in a cool, dry area, since it can self-ignite under certain circumstances.

Dispose of coals or ashes in a metal container-not cardboard or other flammable material. They may appear dead, but may actually be hot enough to start a fire.

Make sure your TV antenna (if you have one) is properly grounded: lightning usually strikes the highest point.

During the first 24 hours after a fire, contact your local disaster relief center for immediate needs, such as temporary housing, food, medication, eyeglasses, clothing, and other essential items. Next, call your insurance agent! Your insurance company can tell you what to do concerning the immediate needs of your home, such as covering doors, windows and other exposed areas. They can also help you take inventory of your personal property for use when making a claim (Hopefully you already have a completed inventory of your possessions!).

The following are a few concerns you may have after experiencing a loss due to fire:

Valuing your property: Keep these concepts in mind when determining the worth of your valuables. Your personal valuations is an objective measurement by you concerning the value of your lost possessions. Cost when purchased is the amount you paid for the items. If you have receipts, that will greatly help. Fair market value before the fire is the amount at which you could have received for lost items the day before the fire. The price would reflect its cost at purchase less the wear it had sustained (depreciation). Value after the fire is the items salvage value after

the fire. Please note that you should not throw any damaged items away until after an inventory is made! All damages are taken into consideration when developing your claim!

Entering your property: Do not enter a damaged site, unless the fire department gives you clearance to do so. Do not consume food, liquids, or medicine exposed to heat, smoke, soot, or water. Board up windows and doors to discourage trespassers while your home is being repaired. Save receipts for money spent related to the loss. Locate identification items (driver’s license and Social Security Card) if possible.

Relocating: Notify the following people of your temporary relocation: your insurance company, mortgage company, family and friends, employer, your child’s school, post office, fire and police departments, utility companies, and delivery services you use regularly.

What to do After a Fire

So where does this leave us? Well, whether you are at work or at home, in the country or the city, in Indiana or another state, be prepared. Having an emergency plan can save lives.

Please share this information with anyone you can! Pledge to Prepare!