Fire Safety
Every year we hear of the devastating effects of fire, which kill and injure indiscriminately. The majority of its victims in the UK are over the age of 60 and some have been drinking alcohol. Fire caused the death of 418 people in London alone between 1996-2000, approximately a third of the victims lived alone and one-fifth of them were disabled.
Reams of statistics could be produced here to try and convince you of the devastating affect that a fire could have on you or your friends and family, but I do not believe you truly need reminding just how devastating a fire can be. We all learn very quickly at a young age about things that get very hot and burn. We soon learn not to touch the hot iron when switched on or the kettle that has just boiled but we seem less conscious of the many other ways in which a fire can either severely burn or kill us.
By referring to the most up to date literature here in the UK and in the USA we have tried to give you the best possible advice to help yourself and family from the devastating affects of a fire in your home.
Most deaths and injuries that result from a fire could be avoided by taking some sensible safety precautions.
An understanding of how fire is produced and ways of preventing it, together with ways of saving yourself in a burning building are further described.
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Fire
To start a fire three essential components are needed. Oxygen, Fuel and Heat (ignition source). Deprived of any one of these the fire goes out. These three features are known as the fire triangle.
Fuels can consist of solids, gases and liquids:
Solids such as plastics, timber, coal, and rubber.
Gases such as natural North Sea gas, propane and butane gases.
Liquids such as petrol, cooking oil and adhesives.
All these fuels have the ability to burn; heavy dense materials are more difficult to ignite than loosely distributed materials such as paper and wood shavings. Liquids such as petrol and sprites give off vapour, which can be ignited by a flame or a spark, which could result in the instant combustion of the fuel.
Gases are already vapours and will instantly ignite in one single stage when given an ignition source such as a spark.
It must be remembered that although dense materials such as solid timber or plastics are quite difficult to ignite, when these materials are broken down into fine particles, they will readily ignite. A dust cloud consisting of small particles of sawdust or flour is capable of exploding if ignited by a flame or spark.
All fuels need oxygen to burn, take it away and we do not have a fire. Petrol in a sealed tin container will be starved of oxygen and is therefore protected from an ignition source. Two elements of the fire triangle have been removed; oxygen and heat.
If the container is open the fuel is then exposed to oxygen. Petrol gives off flammable vapour even at temperatures as low as - 43°C, which is highly flammable.
The vapour produced from petrol and some adhesives is heavier than air, will collect at floor level and slowly build up if insufficient ventilation is provided to the room. The vapour now only needs an ignition source, which could be made via a light switch being turned on or even by an automatic switching device that may control a fridge or freezer or a heating system, for the vapour to ignite and cause a fire.
The growth and spread of a fire depends on a number of things ~
1. Whether the internal doors giving access to the rooms within the building are closed, which will help delay fire spreading into other rooms.
2. The integrity of the walls and ceiling within the room. If holes are made in the walls and ceiling of a room for the purposes of installing light fittings, sound system speakers etc., these are paths which fire can use to spread to other rooms or floors in the building.
3. It is therefore essential to try to contain a fire within the room of origin if possible. Products are available to fire protect around down light fittings and sound system speakers when fitted within ceiling voids.
Once a fire has started and it has an adequate supply of oxygen it can spread in three ways ~
1. Convection
2. Radiation
3. Conduction
When heated air expands it becomes less dense than the surrounding atmosphere and mixed with gases produced by a fire moves upwards forming convection currents, which carry with them, heat and smoke.
The temperature of these rising gases can be very high and they can heat all materials in their path, once this mass of hot smoke and gases reaches the ceiling of a room it spreads sideways and starts to form a smoke layer, which unless ventilated out of the room can reach very high temperatures.
At 600°C the smoke layer is so hot that "flashover" occurs. The heat from the smoke layer turns solid combustible materials into a vapour, which spontaneously ignites, across the whole room.
Combustible materials can be heated to their ignition point by the effects of radiation; heat radiating from a fire can heat objects and cause them to ignite causing the size of the original fire to increase.tion
Conduction of heat by a material can also cause a fire. Steel is a good conductor of heat this can be shown when one end of a steel poker is placed in a fire, the steel poker will carry heat from the fire source throughout its length very quickly and if left could cause any combustible material at its other end to ignite.
In the above text we have tried to explain what a fire needs to enable it to burn. Remember the fire triangle, take one element of it away and we don't have a fire.
Facts about fires
1. More than half of all accidental fires in the home start in the kitchen.
2. In 1999 there were 58,284 accidental fires in the home in the UK, causing 413 deaths, 12,600 injuries and costing millions of pounds in damage to property.
3. Smoking causes more than a third of accidental fire deaths in peoples homes.
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Fire Safety Advice
Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms can give you early warning in the event of a fire and are considered absolutely essential, they can be purchased in most supermarkets and hardware shops. Ask for one that has a British Standard Kitemark and ensure that it is correctly fitted. Smoke alarms are also available for people that are deaf and are designed with a flashing light or a vibrating pad.
Smoke alarms are normally fitted between living areas and bedrooms (hall, lobby, or stair landing areas) and will detect any smoke that leaks via gaps around the door.
Ideally you should fit a smoke detector in every room with the exception of the kitchen and bathroom where the effects of steam emitting from hot water or smoke from a toaster could activate them and cause false alarms, it is therefore better to cover these rooms by heat detectors.
Make sure that you can hear the alarm throughout your home especially in the bedrooms, if your smoke alarm goes off while you are asleep don't waste time investigating to see where it is. Shout as loud as you can to wake everyone up and follow your escape plan together.
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Escape Routes
The time taken in pre-planning a safe escape route from your home should a fire start, could be vital. Fires can grow very quickly and any additional seconds you can save by pre-planning your escape route may well save your life.
Plan your escape route out of the building and familiarize yourself with the location of any stairs or windows that may assist you when making an escape from a fire, ensure that the doors and windows can be readily opened.
Ensure that your planed escape route is kept clear of obstructions such as furniture or storage containers, which might slow you down or cause you to trip over.
A fire could cause the electrical supply to fail, which would mean that no lighting is available, any sighted our partially sighted persons should therefore practise the escape plan blindfolded or in the darkness (in situations where this would not be hazardous) where vital time could be saved in the event of a real fire.
Internal doors should be kept closed especially at night. This will help to contain a fire within the room and thereby give more time to evacuate the building. If you believe a fire is within a closed room check the door with the back of your hand. If the door is warm DO NOT OPEN IT, the fire is within that room.
Doors and windows may have security locks fitted it is essential that they can be unlocked quickly in the event of a fire. Ensure that keys to window and door locks are in a place that is accessible to all persons in the house, and everybody in the house knows where they are.
If your only escape route out of the room is via a ground or first floor window you may need to break the window, cover jagged and sharp edges of glass with any soft materials you may have in the room such as bedding, cushions, towels etc. Throw any thing out of the window that will help break your fall bedding, soft furniture covering etc.
Don't just jump out of the window, Lower yourself down to arms length and drop to the ground this will help minimize the height of the drop. If more than one person is escaping, plan the order in which you evacuate any children or elderly or disabled people who may well need help to climb out of the window and need assistance to drop down.
If you are trying to escape through smoke, crawl along the floor where the air is cleaner, smoke fumes can be toxic and can kill people very quickly.
Should you become trapped in a fire and unable to get out of the building close all the doors and try to seal up the gap at the bottom of the door with a towel or an item of bedding to help stop smoke leaking into the room.
Phone the fire brigade if possible or shout for help but try to raise the alarm as quickly as possible and wait to be rescued.
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Here are some simple rules if you smoke which may save your life.
1. Never smoke in bed.
2. Keep matches and lighters away from children.
3. Never smoke in a chair if you think you may fall asleep.
4. Before you go to bed ensure that nothing is left burning.
5. Never leave lit cigarettes unattended.
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Chip pan fires cause more injuries in your home than anything else.
1. Here are some tips when dealing with a chip pan fire.
2. Turn off the heat if it is safe to do so.
3. If you can, throw a damp cloth or towel over the pan to smother the flames.
4. If the chip pan catches fire do not try to move it.
5. If you cannot control the fire, close the door to the room and get everybody out of the building and call the fire brigade, do not go back into the building.
6. Never try to extinguish a chip pan fire with water; it will cause the burning oil to blow up and spread burning oil around the kitchen causing a larger fire.
7. Do not put wet chips into hot oil dry them first.
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Bedtime safety routine
1. Close the doors to all rooms.
2. Switch off portable room heaters.
3. Switch off and unplug all non-essential electrical appliances.
4. Ensure that the contents of ashtrays are not still burning and are completely extinguished.
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Electrical safety
1. Always make sure that the correct fuse is fitted in your plugs to all your electrical appliances. Use a 3amp fuse for electrical equipment that require up to 720 watts and a 13 amp fuse for equipment over 720 watts.
2. It is always best if you only use one plug for one socket. Avoid the use of multi-plug in adapters. If hi-fi and computer systems require multiple sockets ensure that the proper adaptors are used, and when added up, the appliances do not exceed the total wattage required.
3. Extension leads or cables should not be hidden under carpets, where unseen damage could occur to the cables, which could cause a fire.
4. Electrical leads should not be extended by joining the wires with electrical tape. Use a proper-socket adaptor.
5. Ensure light fittings that have lampshades are fitted with the correct wattage of bulb; a bulb that is over sized could cause the lampshade to overheat and burn.
If any of the following is discovered ask a qualified electrician to check your wiring:
1. Black or brown scorch marks on sockets and plugs.
2. Lights that flicker.
3. Hot plugs, cables and sockets.
4. Electrical fuses that keep blowing.
5. If plugs or cables get hot.
6. If cable flexes to irons or other electrical appliances are worn get them replaced as soon as possible, they could cause a fire.
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Candles
Candles are very popular but can cause a fire. Here are some simple precautions that should be taken when using candles.
1. Never leave candles unattended or go to bed when they are still alight.
2. Keep candles out of the reach of children.
3. Fix candles on a stable base.
4. Keep candles away from curtains, furniture and any flammable materials such as plastic baths and wash basins.
5. Keep candles away from draughts where curtains blow over them to cause a fire.
6. Never put lighted candles on polished surfaces like a television always place them in a candle holder or a heat resistant surface like a ceramic plate.
I hope that the information that we have given in some way gives you a better understanding of how a fire is produced and how to deal with it in an emergency. In spite of this we strongly recommend that your home be fitted with suitable smoke detector alarms, which could SAVE YOUR LIFE.