FOREST CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT
FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION
On average someone died in a fire every three hours in 2001. Someone was injured every 34 minutes. Approximately 85% of these fire deaths occurred in homes. Are you aware that most of the deaths occurred from toxic gases and not from burns? Did you know that more than half of these deaths happened in homes that did not have a working smoke detector. Prevention of these tragedies can be accomplished so easily. Please read the selections below to find out more information on protecting yourself and your family from the devastation of fire loss, injury, or even death.
SMOKE DETECTORS
Smoke is responsible for three out of four fire deaths. A smoke detector can buy valuable minutes for a person to escape safely from a fire. A smoke detector should be installed on every level of your home and near sleeping areas. Test all smoke detectors once a month, and change batteries twice a year. A good way to keep up with your batteries is to change them when you change your clocks for Daylight savings. You also want to make sure that everyone living in your home is familiar with the sound of your smoke detector. If your family can not afford a smoke detector, contact the fire department in your area. Most fire departments have smoke detectors that they can provide for little or no charge.
HOME FIRE ESCAPE PLAN
Every household should establish and practice a emergency escape plan. In the event of a fire in your home, all members need to know two ways out of every room. If a member of the home may need help getting out, a person to help them should be decided. After getting out of the home and away from danger, everyone should be aware of "the safe meeting place". This helps to identify who should go to a phone to dial 911 and also if anyone has not made it out you will know so that you can notify the fire department upon their arrival. Remember once you are out stay out. Never go back inside of a burning structure for any reason. It is a firefighters job to help rescue anyone who may still be inside.
DIAL 911
Do not try to call 911 from inside of a burning house. Go to a neighbors, use a cell phone, or go to a nearby payphone.
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
There are three basic types of fire extinguishers. Type A, B, and C. Type A extinguishers are for wood, paper, or fabric fires. Type B is for grease oil and other flammable liquid fires. Type C is for electrical fires. You can purchase ABC extinguishers that are useful on all of these fire types.
Another important thing to remember about extinguishers is the PASS acronym. Pull - Aim - Squeeze - Sweep. Pull the pin, Aim the nozzle at the fire of the base, Squeeze the handle, and Sweep back and forth.
Never try to fight a fire that is larger than the fire extinguisher. CALL 911
IF YOU CATCH FIRE
If your clothes catch fire, stop what ever you are doing, drop to the ground, roll all the way over until the fire is out. Never Run. Running fans the flame and will cause a fire to grow.
