Fact Sheet: House and Building Fires
A fire can engulf a structure in a matter of minutes.
Understanding the basic characteristics of fire and
learning the proper safety practices can be the key
to surviving a house or building fire.
BEFORE
Install smoke detectors.
Check them once a month and change the batteries at
least once a year.
Develop and practice an escape plan. Make sure all
family members know what to do in a fire.
Draw a floor plan with at least two ways of escaping
every room. Choose a safe meeting place outside the
house.
Practice alerting other household members. It is a
good idea to keep a bell and a flashlight in each bedroom
for this purpose.
Practice evacuating the building blindfolded. In a
real fire situation, the amount of smoke generated
by a fire will most likely make it impossible to see.
Practice staying low to the ground when escaping.
Feel all doors before opening them. If the door is
hot, get out another way.
Learn to stop, drop to the ground, and roll if clothes
catch fire.
Post emergency numbers near telephones.
However, be aware that if a fire threatens your home,
you should not place the call to your emergency services
from inside the home. It is better to get out first
and place the call from somewhere else.
Purchase collapsible ladders at hardware stores and
practice using them.
Install A-B-C type fire extinguishers in the home
and teach family members how to use them.
Do not store combustible materials in closed areas
or near a heat source.
Cooking
Keep the stove area clean and clear of combustibles
such as bags, boxes, and other appliances. If a fire
starts, put a lid over the burning pan or use a fire
extinguisher. Be careful. Moving the pan can cause
the fire to spread. Never pour water on grease fires.
Check electrical wiring.
Replace wiring if frayed or cracked.
Make sure wiring is not under rugs, over nails, or
in high traffic areas. Do not overload outlets or extension
cords.
Outlets should have cover plates and no exposed wiring.
Only purchase appliances and electrical devices that
have a label indicating that they have been inspected
by a testing laboratory such as Underwriter's Laboratories
(UL) or Factory Mutual (FM).
Contact your local fire department or American Red
Cross chapter for more information on fire safety.
DURING
Get out as quickly and as safely as possible.
Use the stairs to escape.
When evacuating, stay low to the ground.
If possible, cover mouth with a cloth to avoid inhaling
smoke and gases.
Close doors in each room after escaping to delay the
spread of the fire.
If in a room with a closed door.
If smoke is pouring in around the bottom of the door
or it feels hot, keep the door closed.
Open a window to escape or for fresh air while awaiting
rescue.
If there is no smoke at the bottom or top and the door
is not hot, then open the door slowly.
If there is too much smoke or fire in the hall, slam
the door shut.
Call the fire department from a location outside the
house.
AFTER
Give first aid where appropriate.
Seriously injured or burned victims should be transported
to professional medical help immediately.
Stay out of damage buildings.
Return home only when local fire authorities say it
is safe.
Look for structural damage.
Discard food that has been exposed to heat, smoke,
or soot.
Contact insurance agent.
Don't discard damaged goods until after an inventory
has been taken. Save receipts for money relating
to fire loss.
Heating Devices
Heating devices such as portable heaters, wood stoves,
and fireplaces demand safe operation. Use portable
heaters in well-ventilated rooms only. Refuel kerosene
heaters outdoors only. Have chimneys and wood stoves
cleaned annually. Buy only approved heaters and follow
the manufacturers' directions.
Smoke Detectors
Smoke detectors more than double the chance of surviving
a fire. Smoke detectors sense abnormal amounts of
smoke or invisible combustion gases in the air. They
can detect both smoldering and burning fires. At
least one smoke detector should be installed on every
level of a structure. Test the smoke detectors each
month and replace the batteries at least once a year.
Purchase smoke detectors labeled by the Underwriter's
Laboratories (UL) or Factory Mutual (FM).
The U.S. Fire
Administration has more information
on fire safety and firefighting.
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10 Simple Steps to Protect Your Home
from Wildland Fire
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12/22/2002
Wildfire can strike home if you have not taken some
steps to protect your house
and property.
The actions and precautions listed below are designed
to help you
prepare your home and
lessen the threat of wildland fire damage to you and
your
property.
1. LPG tanks should be far enough away from buildings
for valves to be shut off in
case of fire. Keep area
around the tank clear of flammable vegetation.
2. Store gasoline in an approved safety can away from
occupied buildings.
3. All combustibles such as firewood, wooden picnic
tables, boats, stacked lumber,
etc. should be kept
away from structures.
4. Clear roof surfaces and gutters regularly to avoid
build-up of flammable materials
such as leaves and
other debris.
5. Remove branches from trees to a height of 15 feet
or more.
6. In rural areas, clear a fuel break of at least
3 times the fuel length around all structures.
7. Have fire tools handy such as: ladder long enough
to reach your roof, shovel, rake,
and a bucket or two
for water.
8. Place connected garden hoses at all sides of your
home for emergency use.
9. Assure that you and your family know all emergency
exits from your home.
10. Assure that you and your family know all emergency
exits from your neighborhood.
A few things you should be aware of during these dry,
warm periods...
1. Know if there is or is not a burning ban in place
for your town, city, or county.
2. If you burn, clear a large area on the ground of
any combustible material, such as
grass, leaves, and
scrap wood, burn only what you want to burn.
3. Do not leave your burn pile unattended and have
a hose at the ready.
For more information, visit the Firewise Communities
Project website.
This article is from the Texas
Forest Service "10
Simple steps"
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