July
– Sep 2012
Fire
According
to the Red Cross, the third leading cause of accidental death in recent years
has been fire. Most of these fires have occurred in the home, which is a particularly
dangerous environment. Fire is always a possible danger, and a probable
secondary disaster in the event of a major earthquake or flood. It is always
important that you follow safety measures for fire prevention, detection, and
escape. It is doubly important after an earthquake because regular fire
fighters may not be able to get to you in time. Floods and other natural
disasters will also spawn a large number of fires because of electrical shorts
and severed gas lines.
Prevention
Most
accidental fires can be avoided with a little care. Firemen have a saying that
"a clean building seldom burns." Good housekeeping is the first line
of defense against home fires. Do you practice fireproof housekeeping? There are several steps a family can take to minimize
the possibility of a fire starting in their home and to minimize the effects of
a fire should one occur.
•
Install
fire extinguishers in danger spots.
The hand pump, inexpensive, 5-gallon, water type is preferred. Carbon
Tetrachloride and other vaporizing liquid type extinguishers are NOT
recommended for use in small enclosed spaces, because of the dangers of
poisonous fumes.
•
Make
sure fire extinguishers are accessible and
maintained.
•
Keep
a garden hose near the water faucet at all times, especially in the winter
months when fire danger is greatest.
•
Install
adequate insulation at all heating locations. This is particularly important
around wood and coal-burning stoves.
•
Repair
or replace defective or inadequate electrical wiring.
•
Use
only the proper size fuses.
•
Replace
frayed electrical cords or broken plugs.
•
Do
not run cords under rugs or hook cords over nails.
•
Keep
electric outlets safely loaded (no overloads).Keep appliances clean and in good
repair.
•
Perform
required maintenance on heating systems.
•
Dispose
of trash immediately.
•
Use
only non-flammable cleaning fluids.
•
Keep
gasoline and other flammable liquids in tightly- closed metal containers.
•
Do
NOT use a combustible liquid to freshen a fire.
•
Keep
garage, basement, attic, closets, etc. free of rubbish.
•
Keep
the yard and garden well trimmed (no tall weeds, etc.).
•
Use
a fireplace screen.
•
Install
a spark arrestor on your chimney.
•
Place
curtains and drapes so that they won't blow into flames or touch hot surfaces from
stoves, fireplaces, candles, etc.
•
Supervise
children playing near an open fire.
•
Store
matches in metal containers out of sight and reach of small children.
•
Turn
pot handles away from the edge of the stove.
•
Keep
important papers and documents in a fire-proof box or safe.
•
Install
and maintain home smoke detectors.
•
More
lives are saved each year by smoke detectors than all other fire fighting tools
and equipment combined. A home without one is only inviting trouble or tragedy.
•
Post
emergency numbers for the fire department on ALL telephones.
•
Each
family should have a pre-arranged escape plan for getting out of their home in
case of fire. There should be at least two exits from every room (doors or windows).
•
Determine
a pre-arranged meeting area that all family members should go to IMMEDIATELY
when they leave the home if it is on fire. This could be a tree in the front yard,
the neighbor's porch, etc. This will facilitate taking a "head count"
and could save the life of a would-be rescuer who returns to a burning building
to search for someone who has already gotten out.
Detection
Statistics
show that most FATAL fires occur while the family is sleeping. Smoke and toxic gases
are the killers in most home fires rather than flames. Smoke detectors (either ionization
types or photo-electric detectors powered by electricity or battery) can alert your
family while the fire is still small, which may mean the difference between
life and death.
For
minimum protection there should be a smoke detector between the bedrooms or sleeping
areas and the rest of the house, and/or a smoke detector at the head of each
stairway. The amount of detection
equipment needed in your home or apartment will be determined by the size and
floor plan of your living space, your life style, and how much money your family
is willing to spend. (Your local fire department can give you assistance in
planning your fire detection system).
CERT
training
is available by registering at: http://www.unifiedfire.org/divisions/community/cert.aspx
September 13,
20, 27 October 4, 11 LDS Church, 4113 West
6200 South, Taylorsville, Thursdays
6:30pm-9:30pm Register
Today!!
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