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).

EMERGENCY INFORMATION

The leading cause of death in a fire is asphyxiation.  Fire victims seldom see the flames.  Fire consumes the oxygen in the air, thereby increasing the concentration of deadly carbon monoxide in the atmosphere.  Inhaling carbon monoxide causes a loss of consciousness or death within minutes.

The heat from a fire can melt clothes and scorch the lungs in a single breath.  At floor level, temperatures average about 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but at eye level rise to 600 degrees.

House fires begin with a bright flame, then quickly generate a black, choking smoke.  It is nearly impossible to see through a thick cloud of smoke, so fire drill participants should practice evacuating buildings with their eyes closed.

DANGER ZONES

Accidental fire and explosion can strike anywhere.  Fire fatalities tend to be distributed according to population density, i.e., those states with the largest populations tend also to have the greatest number of fire fatalities.

WHAT IS A FIRE?

Fire is the fourth largest accidental killer in the United States, behind motor vehicle accidents, falls, and drownings.  It is also the disaster that families are mostly likely to experience.  Over 80 percent of all fire deaths occur where people sleep, such as in homes or hotels.  Most fires occur when people are less likely to be alert, such as between midnight and morning.  Eighty-four percent of house and building fires are accidental, such as those caused by poor electrical wiring or careless behavior.  However, 16 percent are set intentionally through arson or acts of terrorism.

HELP YOUR COMMUNITY GET READY

The media can raise awareness about fire safety by providing important information to the community.  Here are some suggestions:

• Publish a series on how to recognize potential fire hazards in the home and workplace.
• Run a story featuring interviews with local fire officials about how to make homes fire-safe.
• Provide tips on conducting fire drills in the home, mentioning the need for multiple escape routes and a meeting place outside of the home. 
• Highlight the importance of home smoke detectors by running monthly "battery-check reminders."

CAUSE OF HOME FIRE DEATH

Smoking                         26%
Incendiary or Suspicious        16%
Heating                         14%
Child Playing                   10%
Electrical Distribution         10%
Cooking                          8%
All Other Causes                16%

1986-1990 Annual Average Source:  National Fire Protection Association

DID YOU KNOW

• Loss of life from fires has been significantly reduced because of improved technology for fire response and a better educated public--particularly regarding the lifesaving advantages of using and maintaining smoke detectors.  The United States Fire Administration reports a 5.9 percent reduction in deaths attributable to fires over the period of 1983 to 1990.
• On average, fires kill nearly 5,500 Americans each year.  Over 30,000 people are injured in fires annually.
• In the United States, someone dies in a fire every 40 minutes.  Most often, victims are children or the elderly.
• Nearly 25 percent of the fires that kill young children are started by children playing with fire.  Approximately 1,300 senior citizens die in fires annually.
• Approximately three-quarters of all fire fatalities occur in residential dwellings.
• Each year, fire causes over $2 billion worth of damage to homes.

Eliminating Fire Danger Spots

Overview

Here are some tips on common fire danger spots we encounter in many homes and what you can do to eliminate them.

Untreated Shake Roofs

Untreated wood shake roofs, which can catch windblown sparks, are the number one cause of home losses in wildland areas.

Solution:  If you re-roof, install a fire resistant roof.

Debris on Roofs

Tinder dry needles and leaves on your roof and in your rain gutters can easily catch fire and endanger your home.

Solution:  Sweep your gutters and roof on a regular basis, especially during the dry, hot weather of the fire season.

Tree Limbs Too Close to Your Chimney and Roof

Tree limbs too close to your chimney can easily ignite and endanger your home. Dead limbs overhanging your home may ignite and spread a fire to your home.

Solution:  Trim all tree limbs that are within 10 feet of your chimney and remove all dead limbs overhanging your home or garage.

No Screen on Attic and Foundation Vents

Sparks or embers from an approaching wildland fire can get into your home through unprotected vents and ignite your home.

Solution:  Cover your attic and foundation vents with wire mesh no larger than 1/2 inch.

No Spark Arrester On Your Chimney

A spark from your chimney can ignite the surrounding wild vegetation.

Solution:  To insure that you don't create your own spark hazard, screen your chimneys with 1/2 inch mesh noncombustible wire screening.

Combustible Materials Stored Too Close to Your Home

Firewood or other combustible materials stored too close to your home can ignite and spread a fire into your home.

Solution:  Store all combustible materials away from your home and keep the lids on your garbage cans.

No Address Sign Visible From The Street

No visible address number will cause a delay in an emergency. Remember the fire department can not help you if we can not find you.

Solution:  Make sure that your home can be quickly identified by ensuring that its address is clearly marked and visible.

Overgrown, Dead Landscaping

Overgrown, dead landscape can ignite and endanger your home.

Solution:  Maintain your landscape.  Trim and remove any dead vegetation.  If you are relandscaping, choose plants that are fire resistive.

Preventing a Wildland Fire

Preventing a Wildland Fire from Destroying Your Home

Advanced Preparation

Cut plywood covers for glass doors, windows and vents.

Provide roof ladders and garden hoses.

Plan escape routes to places of safety for family and pets.

List all items you wish to take with you for safekeeping.

Maintain a defensible space between your home and any combustible, wild vegetation.

Install a spark arrester in your chimney.

Store all combustible materials, such as wood, away from your home.

Clean your roof and rain gutters of all material that might catch fire.

Make sure that your address sign is clearly visible from the street and the fire department has safe access to your home.

What to Do If a Fire Is Approaching Your Home

Place ladders against the front of the house.

Connect garden hoses with shutoff nozzles and turn on water. Make sure that the nozzle on the hose is shut.

Park cars headed out.

Remove lightweight curtains from inside windows.  Close heavy drapes and blinds.

Nail plywood covers over windows and vents.

Move lawn furniture indoors.

Inside the house, pull combustible furniture away from windows.

Turn on lights in the house, porch, garage and yard.

Evacuate family and pets to a safe location.

Fighting the Fire

If law enforcement and fire authorities permit and it is safe to do so, it is wise to plan for an abled bodied member of your house to remain to protect the house in the absence of firefighters or to assist firefighters when they arrive.