TEST YOUR DETECTORS FOR LIFE!

Death By Fire 

Nearly four thousand Americans die every year in residential fires. Most of these deaths are not from heat or flames but from inhaling smoke and toxic fumes. Smoke is actually the particles of combustion generated by what is burning - paper, wood, chemicals, plastic, upholstery, or other fuels. 

Buying Time 

When a smoke detector senses smoke, an alarm automatically sounds. Most fatal home fires occur between 8:00 pm and 8:00 am. Fires often generate lethal amounts of unseen smoke and fumes well before flames are visible and before heat makes residents feel uncomfortably warm. As a result, many people who die in home fires are asleep and never wake up. When carefully purchased, installed, and maintained, smoke detectors can prevent such needless deaths. Smoke detectors buy time to get out of the house fast - before toxic fumes accumulate to lethal levels. 

Purchasing 

Quality, not price, should be the determining factor when buying smoke detectors.

Check for the following: 

Laboratory label, insuring that samples of the model you are buying have been carefully tested. 

Alarm loud enough to awaken the family through closed bedroom doors.
 
Malfunction signal, to warn you when batteries are weak or dead. 

Manufacturer's warranty of at least five years. 

Ease in maintenance and cleaning. 

Which Type 

Ionization - Contains a small amount of radioactivity that conducts electricity. Electric current flows continuously between two electrodes in the chamber. When smoke particles enter, they disturb the flow, causing the alarm to go off.

Photoelectric - Contains a beam of light and a photocell within the chamber. When smoke enters, it deflects the beam, causing it to strike the photocell and set off the alarm. 

Which is better? 

Ionization detectors are more sensitive to the tiny particles of combustion that can't been seem or smelled - those emitted by flaming fires. Photoelectric detectors are more sensitive to the large particles of combustion emitted by smoldering fires. 

The differences between the two types are generally not critical, since the difference in response time is only a matter of seconds. Since most home fires produce a rich mixture of smoke types, with detectable amounts of both large particle and small particle smoke early in the fire's growth, either an ionization or a photoelectric detector will meet most needs. 

Placement 

Buy as many smoke detectors as it takes to give your home complete coverage. 

You obviously increase your chances of survival with each detector that you have, but one on each level of the house is the absolute minimum. 

You should have a smoke detector in each bedroom, in the hallway close to each sleeping area and in heavily-occupied areas like the living room. 

When bedroom doors are left open, you should have at least one detector in the hallway outside the bedroom area. 

Installation 

Follow the manufacturer's installation instructions. 

On the ceilings, mount the device away from corners and walls, which have dead air space nearby. About eight to ten inches is the recommended distance. 

On walls, install the detectors high, because smoke rises, and place them eight to ten inches away from corners and ceilings. 

Install smoke detectors at least three feet from vents, which might recirculate the smoke. 

Never place smoke detectors on uninsulated walls or ceilings. Extreme
temperatures can ruin batteries and prevent smoke from reaching the detectors. 

Exit Drills in the Home 

Smoke detectors provide an early warning system to allow you and your family extra time to get out of the house fast during a fire. 

IF THE ALARM SOUNDS... be sure each family member knows what the alarm sounds like and what to do. Families should regularly practice Operation EDITH - Exit Drills In The Home. This means having a prepared escape plan, with two possible escape routes from every room, and a prearranged meeting place outside the house. Families should actually run through a fire drill at least twice a year. 

Maintenance Check List 

Test your smoke detector at least once a month by pressing the test button.  

Replace wear or worn out batteries at once.
 
Never borrow smoke detector batteries for other uses. 

Keep extra batteries on hand. 

Change batteries at least once a year. 

Dust and vacuum smoke detectors at least twice a year. 

Make sure smoke detectors are working when you return home after an extended absence. 

HOME PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS


Extinguishers Have Limits 

USED PROPERLY, a portable fire extinguisher can save lives and property by putting out a small fire or containing it until the fire department arrives. 

Portable extinguishers for home use, however, are not designed to fight large or spreading fires. Even against small fires, they are useful only under certain conditions. 

The operator must know how to use the extinguisher. There is no time to read directions during an emergency. 

The extinguisher must be within easy reach and in working order, fully charged. 

The operator must have a clear escape route that will not be blocked by fire. 

The extinguisher must match the type of fire being fought. Extinguishers that contain water are unsuitable for use on grease or electrical fires. 

The extinguisher must be large enough to put out the fire. Many portable
extinguishers discharge completely in as few as 8 to 10 seconds. 

Choosing Your Extinguisher 

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ARE tested by independent laboratories and labeled for the type and size of fire they can extinguish. Use these labels as a guide to purchase the kind of extinguisher that suits you needs. 

Classes of Fires 

There are three classes of fire. All fire extinguishers are labeled using standard symbols for the classes of fires they can put out. A red slash through any of the symbols tells you the extinguisher cannot be used on that class of fire. A missing symbol tells you only that the extinguisher has not been tested for a given class of fire. 

Class A: Ordinary combustibles such as wood, cloth, and paper. 

Class B: Flammable liquids such as gasoline, oil, and oil-based paint. 

Class C: Energized electrical equipment - including wiring, fuse boxes, circuit breakers,
and appliances. 

The extinguisher must be appropriate for the type of fire being fought. If you use the wrong type of extinguisher, you can endanger yourself and make the fire worse.

Multipurpose fire extinguishers marked ABC may be used on all three classes of fires. 

Remember, in some cases it may be dangerous to use any type of extinguisher. For instance, pressurized extinguishing agent could spread a grease pan fire rather than put it out. 

Extinguisher Sizes 

Portable extinguishers are also rated for the size of fire they can handle. This rating will appear on the label - for example, 2A:10B:C. The larger the numbers, the larger the fire that the extinguisher can put out, but higher-rated models are often heavier. Make sure you can hold and operate the extinguisher before you buy it. 

Installation and Maintenance 

EXTINGUISHERS SHOULD BE installed in plain view, above the reach of children, near an escape route, and away from stoves and heating appliances. 

Extinguishers require routine care. Read you operator's manual to learn how to inspect your extinguisher. Follow manufacturer's instructions on maintenance. 

Rechargeable models must be serviced after every use. (Service companies are listed in the Yellow Pages under "Fire Extinguishers.") Disposable fire extinguishers can be used only once and must be replaced after use. 

Remember the Pass-Word 

KEEP Your back to an unobstructed exit and stand six to eight feet away from the fire.

Follow the four-step PASS procedure. 

PULL the pin: This unlocks the operating lever and allows you to discharge the extinguisher. Some extinguishers may have other lever-release mechanisms. 

AIM low: Point the extinguisher nozzle (or hose) at the base of the fire. 

SQUEEZE the lever above the handle: This discharges the extinguishing agent. Releasing the lever will stop the discharge. (Some extinguishers have a button instead of
a lever.) 

SWEEP from side to side: Moving carefully toward the fire, keep the extinguisher aimed at the base of the fire and sweep back and forth until the flames appear to be out. Watch the fire area. If the fire reignites, repeat the process. *Always be sure the fire department inspects the fire site, even if you thing you've extinguished the fire. 

Should you Fight the Fire? 

BEFORE YOU BEGIN to fight a fire: 

Make sure everyone has left, or is leaving, the building. 

Make sure the fire department has been called. 

Make sure the fire is confined to a small area and is not spreading. 

Be sure you have an unobstructed escape route to which the fire will not spread. 

Be sure you have read the instructions and that you know how to use the
extinguisher. 

It is reckless to fight a fire in any other circumstances. Instead, leave immediately and close off the area.

*Reprinted from NFPA pamphlet "Home Portable Fire Extinguishers" 

KNOW WHEN TO GO! REACT FAST TO FIRE!


The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that approximately 80 percent of all fire deaths in the United States and Canada occur in the home. Roughly 11 people per day, die in home fires in the U.S. and Canada. Many lives can be saved if people react immediately when a fire alarm sounds. Once a fire starts, there's no time to develop a plan. The NFPA urges everyone to "Know When to Go." 

In Single Family Homes: If a smoke detector sounds in your home, leave immediately ---do not investigate. 

When a Smoke Detector Sounds: 

Alert others by shouting, "Fire! Everyone outside!" and leave immediately. 

Test doors with the back of your hand before opening them; if the door is warm, use an alternative escape route. 

Use windows as alternate exits. 

If you must exit through smoke, crawl low, keeping your head 12 to 24 inches (30 to 60 centimeters) above the floor, where the air is cleaner. 

When you are outside, go to your meeting place. 

Call the fire department using a neighbor's phone, portable phone, or fire alarm box. 

Do not go back inside for any reason. 

Know What to Do 

Know at least two ways out of every room. 

Practice your escape plan with an exit drill every six months. 

Pick a meeting place outside your home where everyone can gather once they've left the building. 

Keep exit paths clear of furniture and clutter. 

Make sure the number of your home is clearly visible from the street. 

Special Situations 

If possible, older adults and people with mobility disabilities should sleep on the ground floor. 

Make special plans for anyone who may need assistance escaping.
 
Let you fire department know whether your household includes someone who may have difficulty escaping a fire. 

In High-Rise Buildings: Consult your building management or fire department and know what to do in advance. In some occupancies, such as high-rise apartment buildings, the safest action when a fire alarm sounds may be to stay inside the dwelling unit and protect yourself from smoke until the fire department arrives. Some building evacuation plans may require you to go to a "safe area" inside the building and wait for the fire department to supervise evacuation. 

When a Fire Alarm Sounds: If you can hear instructions over your building's public address system, do as you are told; you might be told to stay where you are. 

If You Stay 

Stay calm and take steps to protect yourself. 

If possible, go to a room with an outside window or balcony and a telephone. 

Close all doors between you and the fire. Stuff the cracks around your door with towels, rags, or duct tape and cover vents to keep smoke out of the room. 

If there is a phone in the room, call the fire department even if you see fire trucks, and report your exact location. 

Wait at a window and signal for help using a flash light or by waving a sheet or light-colored cloth.
 
If possible, open the window at the top and bottom, but do not break the window.

Be ready to close the window quickly if smoke rushes in.
 
Be patient. Rescuing all the occupants of a high-rise building can take several hours. 

If You Go: Follow your building's evacuation plans exactly unless there is immediate danger. Proceed cautiously, checking each door you encounter for heat and each corridor of stairwell for smoke. If you encounter smoke or flames at any point, seek an alternative exit route. If none is available, return to your room, protect yourself from
smoke, and wait to be rescued. 

Elevators should not be used during a fire. 

If you must exit through smoke, crawl low, under it where the air is cleaner. 

As you exit, close all doors behind you to prevent the spread of smoke or flames. 

Once you are out, do not go back inside; tell the fire department if anyone is trapped inside. 

Reprinted from the NFPA pamphlet "Know When To Go! React
Fast To Fire" 

Plan Ahead 

Learn your building's evacuation plans. 

Be familiar with the sound of the fire alarm. 

Learn the location of pull stations that activate your building's fire alarm, and how to use them. 

Post emergency numbers near all phones. 

Know at least two escape routes from your apartment or condo, and pick a meeting place outside. 

Learn the fastest route to your building's fire exits so that you can find them, even in the dark. 

FIRE SAFETY TIPS FOR OLDER ADULTS


PROTECT YOURSELF 

Prevention is the best way to keep your home safety from fire. 

Be Kitchen Wise: Never leave cooking unattended. Use oven mitts and wear clothes with tight-fitting or rolled-up sleeves when you cook. Use a kitchen timer and remind yourself to turn off burners and the oven. Keep stove surfaces free of clutter and built-up grease. Don't cook if you've been drinking alcohol or taking medication that makes you drowsy. 

Be Smoker Wary: Provide smokers with large, deep, non-tip ashtrays.

 Empty ashtrays often, wetting the contents before dumping them. Never smoke in bed or while drinking alcohol or while you are on medication that could make you drowsy or disoriented. 

Give Space Heaters Space: Keep portable heaters and space heaters at least three feet (one meter) from everything --- including you. Just brushing against one could set your clothing on fire. 

Install Smoke Detectors: Be sure to have smoke detectors outside or in all sleeping areas, and on every level of your home, including the basement. Test your smoke detectors monthly and change the batteries once a year or when the detector is "chirping" to indicate that the battery is low. If you sleep in a room with the doors closed, install a smoke detector inside the room as well. If you are hearing impaired, use tested
and approved smoke detectors that trigger a strobe light. 

PLAN YOUR ESCAPE 

Know Two Ways Out: Plan two escape routes from every room in your home. 

Know How to Unlock Doors and Windows: Windows should open easily and fully, to allow escape. All security-barred windows and doors needed for escape should be equipped with quick-release devices that every household member can operate. 

Know All Building Exits: If you live in an apartment building, count the number of doorways between your apartment and the two nearest exits. 

No matter where you live, be familiar with all exits, including windows. If you have trouble with stairs, it may be best to sleep on the first floor. 

IF YOU ARE TRAPPED 

Remain calm. Close all doors between you and the smoke. If there is a phone in the room, call the fire department and tell the dispatcher where you are trapped. Call the fire department even if you can see fire trucks through your window. Stuff rags, towels, or clothing in the cracks around doors to keep smoke out. Wait at a window; signal the fire fighters by waving a light colored cloth or flashlight and wait to be rescued. 

IF FIRE STRIKES... 

Test Doors Before You Open Them: Kneeling or crouching at the door, reach up as high as you can and touch the door, the knob, and then space between the door and its frame with back of your hand. If the door is cool, open it cautiously and continue along your escape route. If it is hot keep the door closed and seek an alternative escape route
or stay in your room. 

Crawl Low Under Smoke: If you must exit through smoke, crouch or crawl. Heat and smoke rise; cleaner air will be 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) above the floor. 

Get Out and Stay Out: Leave the building as quickly as you can. Call the fire department from a neighbor's phone. Do not go back into the building for any reason. 

Stop, Drop, and Roll: If your clothing catches fire, stop where you are; drop gently to the floor or ground, cover your face with your hands to protect your face from flames, and roll over and over to smother the flames. If you cannot drop to the floor smother the flames with a blanket or towel. 

Smother a Grease Fire: If a pan of food catches fire, using a pot holder, carefully slide a lid over it and turn off the burner. 

*Reprinted from the NFPA pamphlet "Fire Safety Tips for Older Adults"