FIRE

FIRE SAFETY

In the home is a subject that concerns us all; and yet, very little has been written about it
and circulated to where it matters most- in the home.
Perhaps owing to this lack of information, compounded by our general attitude of
indifference towards safety, many lives have been unnecessarily lost, plus, of course, the destruction
of millions of pesos worth of property . All these on a continuing, almost regular, basis! This is true at
all levels of society- from the most affluent, who have the resources to actually spend for elaborate
safety systems but generally don’t , to the poorer masses, including those living in the squatters area s.
 Through this fire prevention and safety lecture, we hope to heighten everyone’s level of consciousness on
the very real dangers of fire- such that all will be prompted to take corrective action. If, as a result of this awakening ,
we are able to contribute towards the prevention of injury or the saving of one life from the merciless and
catastrophic ravages of fire, then we would have accomplished our mission in reducing if not eliminating the loss of
lives and the destruction of properties and contribute in the development and progress of our nation.

FIRE SAFETY FOR YOUR FAMILY

Generally, most people are very complacent about home safety, Most of us are, However quite conscious
about security – mainly trying to keep the burglars out. Thus, we almost instinctively install grills at every window or
opening in the house, double lock the door, etc. A few – most likely, very few – even go to the extent of having security
systems installed to their homes. All of these are designed to keep unwanted outsiders from breaking into our homes.
In the process, However, we also lock ourselves in.
In trying to keep the safe from burglars , we are in effect also locking ourselves in- perhaps even creating a
veritable fire trap that can seriously endanger ourselves in the unfortunate event or a fire. Pursuing through the
newspaper everyday, week or a month, we read of fire incidents involving homes, buildings of all types . Just a sampling
of fire incidents during the last few months indicates the very real danger of fire in the home . In a number of instances,
this has taken a heavy toll on the residents themselves . Entire families have been killed-from grandparents to
grandchildren- because of home fires.
UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF FIRE

 HOW FIRE STARTS

Fire is a chemical reaction involving rapid oxidation of burning of a fuel. There are (3) elements necessary for
fire to occur.

FUEL- Any material that is combustible- whether solid, liquid or gas.

OXYGEN- Fire needs oxygen for it to burn. The normal air that we breathe has 21% oxygen, and only 16 % is needed to
trigger fire.

HEAT- This is the energy needed to increase the temperature of the fuel for ignition to occur.

When all the three elements described above are present, a chain reaction occurs. This is rapid
oxidation, when burning actually takes place.

IMPORTANT NOTE : Remove any one of the above elements and fire cannot occur. Or if fire is already present,
it will be extinguished.
HOW FIRE SPREADS

Depending on the type of structure and the material a home is constructed from or made of, fires can spread
quickly, engulfing a house in a matter of minutes.

There are three ways a fire spreads:

BY DIRECT CONTACT- with the flame catching from one object to another.

BY RADIATION- with heat rays causing nearby combustible objects to burst into flames

BY CONVECTION- through the action of heat rising within a structure bringing along poisonous gases and smoke.
This is considered as the most life threatening and the fastest way fire travels.

In the home, there is such a concentration of combustible materials from rugs to furnitures, ceiling, walls,
cabinets, appliances, paper of all sorts, etc,- to feed a growing fire. With such a fuel resources, the combined action of
the three modes of fire spreading can readily causes a home to burn within five minutes or less.
This is why it is critical that any correction action, i.e. the initial fire fighting MUST commence at the earlier
possible time, BEFORE fire has a chance to spread.
SMOKEY & TOXIC GASES- in a real fire situation, it is the smoke and the toxic fumes that kill first. Smoke disorients,
blinds and suffocates people.- to the point of dearth, Toxic gases from burning synthetic materials also kill just
efficiently. Those who are unfortunate enough to be in deep sleep when fire occurs can succumb to death by
asphyxiation, without ever waking up at all. The damage to the lungs caused by smoke is also irreparable and if
extensive could be fatal.
KEY ELEMENTS OF FIRE SAFETY

The first element of fire safety is prevention. This can be done by educating everyone about fire safety, and
promoting adherence to standard fire safety practices based on observations and sound recommendations of experts.
Quite often, plain common sense together with a simple understanding of the nature of fire, and an awareness of its
fatal dangers, are more than sufficient to keep our families safe from fire.
Your first important steps is to IDENTIFY the most likely causes of fire in your home or office. After having
determined that, you then must do something to ELIMINATE or considerably REDUCE these fire causes.

THE MOST COMMON SOURCES OF FIRE IN THE HOMES

KITCHEN

Leaking gas stove, rubber hoses or tubing.

Unattended candles or kerosene lamps.
Improperly stores combustibles, kerosene, lighter fluids, oily rags, etc.
Malfunctioning (Overheating, short circuiting) oven, toasters, and other appliances.

BEDROOM
Overheating appliances-air conditioner, fans, TV sets, computer, etc.
Carelessly discarded cigarettes.
LIVING ROOM
 Overheating or short circuiting appliances.

ALL ROOMS
Accumulated storage of combustible materials-old papers, magazines, rags, old clothing material, etc.
Faulty electrical wirings, overloaded, octopus plug-in outlets.
Combustible furniture and fixtures, curtains, waste boxes, etc.

ACCIDENTAL CAUSES

There are numerous instances of fire resulting from accidents, carelessness or simple lack of fire safety sense. A
few examples of these are:
Refilling of highly flammable liquids, such as kerosene, lighter fluids, inside the house
Matches and lighters lit by children while playing.
Exploding firecrackers inside the house.
Candles and kerosene lamps accidentally toppled over.
Electric iron left on the unattended while during other chores or talking on the telephone.
One person doing several critical activities at the same time such as cooking or frying while engaged in
ironing or house clearing. Just a small mishap in this situation, when not responded to immediately can
result in a very serious fire problem.
Leaky LPG gas tanks and hoses.
Falling asleep while smoking.
Careless placement of candles or lamps near flammable materials during power failures and brownouts,
resulting in curtains, tablecloths, etc, catching fire.

Note: After having identified the common sources and causes of fire, the next step is for the
homeowner to reduce or minimize the fire hazards.
MISCELLANEOUS SAFETY TIPS

 Reduce the possibility of combustion by keeping storage and working areas clear of trash
 Put oily rags inside closed containers.
 Store flammable liquids in tightly sealed spill-proof containers.
 Do not refuel anything with gas, gasoline, or kerosene inside an enclosed space and/or near any open flame.
Refuel only in open ,well ventilated areas. This means OUTSIDE the house.
 Be sensitive to unusual odors emanating from any appliance or electrical equipment. These could be the first
signs of fire. Always check appliances thoroughly.
 Be conscious of any persistent unusual sound coming from appliances- particularly those with motors. This could
be the result of mechanical misalignments, which increase friction, cause overheating and eventually ignite or
burn.
 Be watchful of appliances with motors-air conditioners , fans, etc. When dirty or misaligned, they overheat and
can eventually ignite or burn.
 When you experience usual or repeated tripping of your electrical circuits, have it checked immediately by a
competent electrician.
 Do not use improvised electrical fuse or jumpers, or those with higher ratings than what was originally specified.
 Do not overload your wall outlets. No octopus connections.
 Some commonly used items- hair spray, aftershave, aerosols-are flammable, Do not use while smoking or near
open flame.
EARLY DETECTION CAPABILITY

Provide yourself with the capability to detect fire at its earliest stage. This can be done simply by installing an ordinary
smoke detector at the appropriate location in your home. The most common and economical device is the stand-alone,
battery operated Smoke Detector.
Remember that smoke detector are your early warning sensors for fire- especially at night everyone is asleep.
It is very essential that fire in high rise buildings be detected at the earliest possible stage, so that the damage to the
building is minimized and the danger to the livers of the occupants in the various residential units reduced to the
barest time.

FIREFIGHTING CAPABILITY
The third element of Fire Safety in your home (or office) is your firefighting capability. You do not have
to be a well-trained, fully equipped Fireman to put out a small fire. You just need to have a presence of mind in
Knowing what to do. And the necessary firefighting equipment to do the job. It is also important that the fire you are
putting out is still small and its early stage. Thus, the most effective combination is; EARLY DETECTION AND
QUICK REACTION. Beyond these parameters, it would be more difficult and downright dangerous to put out fire. So
if you are not equipped, and the fire you are trying to put out is already in its advanced stage, your only safe bet is to
evacuate yourself and everyone else in the house as quickly as possible.
BASIC FIREFIGHTING TOOLS
It is important that you must have on hand, the basic firefighting tool or equipment. For the home
these are fairly simple and again relatively inexpensive.
FIRE EXTINGUISHER- we recommend the ABC type for fighting multiple types of fire.
WATER SUPPLY- On standby, readily available in a pail or bucket. If you have good water supply, a
hose connected to a strategic water faucet would be very ideal. By Good water supply, we mean it is always available
and in adequate supply, at the adequate flowing pressure- as in a water pipe connected to an overhead water tank.
BLANKET- to smoother any incipient fire especially while cooking.
BUCKET OF SAND- again, readily available, to spread over a smoldering fire.
*Please note that the listed firefighting tools are only meant for use on small, incipient fire. They are not
equivalent of heavy firefighting equipment of the professional firemen. Nevertheless, if available, at the
right place, at the right time, they can do much to put out small fires, and thus prevent big fires.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS IN BASIC FIREFIGHTING
Of course it is not enough that you have the firefighting tools. They won’t do you any good if you do not know
how to use them. Take time out to familiarize yourself and the members of your household with the different
firefighting tools. HOW and WHEN to use them.

WHEN NOT TO FIGHT FIRE

While it is important to know how to fight fire, it is also just as important to know when to NOT to fight fire.
 If fire has already spread beyond where it originally started
 If you are in the situation where while firefighting the fire , you have one avenue to escape.
 If you do not have any adequate firefighting equipment.
In any of the above circumstances, the fastest thing for you to do is to LEAVE IMMEDIATELY
and CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OR FIRE BRIGADE in your village or building as soon as you reach a
safe area outside the endangered premises. It is important for you to balance any “GUNG-HO” macho
tendency to do if yourself , with the right sense to know when to leave the job to the properly equipped and
trained professional firefighters.
In any case that, even if you decide to initially handle the firefighting, make sure you let
someone else in your household to call immediately for outside help- the nearest firefighting units, the
Village Fire Brigade and Security Guards.
*NOTE: Keep an updated list of important Emergency Telephone Numbers near your telephone set, with
numbers for the Police, Fire Department, Village Security, Clinic, Hospitals, nearest neighbors, etc.

FIRE BRIGADE
Do you have an organized Fire Brigade in your village, subdivision, townhouse or condominium building?
If there is none, it would be a good idea to organize one. Better yet, if you can participate in it as a volunteer. Even if all
it does is make everyone aware of the fire danger, and orient the residents on fire safety and firefighting tools that would
do everyone a lot of good.
USING THE RIGHT FIREFIGHTING TOOLS

Each class of fire requires the appropriate firefighting tools in order to put them out. Take note of the following
guidelines:

Fire Category Burning Extinguishing Extinguishing Agent

Materials Method
Class A Fibrous wood, cloth, Cool below flash Water
paper, etc. point

Class B Oil Cut oxygen supply Foam

Class C Electrical Cut oxygen supply Dry Chemical Powder

Class D Metal Cut oxygen supply, CO2, dry chemical, large amount of
cool below flash point water.

Class E Petroleum Remove gas supply Dry Chemical Powder

Gas(LPG,LNG)

Class F Spontaneously Remove material Dry Chemical Powder, Water

Combustible
Materials
HOW TO USE THE PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHER

P ull the pin

T est the fire extinguisher

Aim the extinguisher, with the nozzle pointing at the base of the flames.

Squeeze the hand trigger, as you hold the extinguisher upright

Sweep the extinguisher from side to side, covering the area/ base of the flames.
SPECIFIC FIRE FIGHTING TIPS
It is normal for most people to immediately flee at the first onset of fire. This is certainly the fastest personal
approach to any fire. However, there are specific instances when you can actually SUCCESSFULLY FIGHT FIRE,
provided:
1. The fire has just started, and its still small
2. You have the correct appropriate fire fighting equipment
3. You know what you are doing.
Assuming that the above conditions, here are specific tips and firefighting techniques:

TIMING is very critical. You must be to ACT FAST and correctly , as soon as the fire starts-BEFORE it has a
chance to grow and spread. This assumes that there is very early detection of this incipient fire- either with an early
warning smoke detector, or you were fortunate enough to have someone immediately notice it while at its early stage. It
is only at this early stage of the fire that you can expect to put it out. Once it has begun to spread ,your only alternative
is to evacuate.

EQUIPMENT FAMILIARITY AND FIREFIGHTING PRACTICES

For you have this quick instinctive firefighting reaction assumes that you are properly oriented and trained
to fight fire. This also means prior familiarity with all the firefighting tools you have available, and regular practice on
their use. This is true for both the professional firemen, as well as rank amateur. Firefighting is a very serious task, and
can be fatal to the careless and inexperienced. So, if you expect member of your household to be able to this, they must
have proper familiarization and practical exercise. Without this, your chances of success are very poor, your firefighting
capability is minimal- you are better of evacuating immediately at the first sign of fire.
So, assuming you want to give yourself a fighting chance at fighting fire, you must take note of the following
guidelines in dealing with specific fire situations.
ELECTRICAL / APPLIANCE FIRE
 Turn off the house main power switch immediately.
 If it’s a short circuit appliance, immediately unplug it from the outlet, provided that the power cord itself
not yet affected.
 Smother the burning area or appliance with a Fire Blanket or use the ABC type Fire Extinguisher.
 As long as the main electrical power line is already turned off and you are sure there is no more electrical
running, you can use water to douse the remaining fire.

KITCHEN CYLINDER GAS FIRE

Immediately turn off the gas cylinder .
If the cylinder has caught fire, use ABC type Fire Extinguisher on the flames.
This type of fire is dangerous and explosive, if it spreads leave immediately.
 If you can smell leaking gas but there is yet no fire , turn off the gas cylinder, and immediately open doors
and/or windows to properly ventilate the area and let the combustible gas out of the room.
Do not attempt to strike a match or even turn on an electric switch if there is combustible gas in the vicinity
to catch fire and spread quickly.
Do not turn on any appliance nearby.
Turn off the main electrical switch.

KITCHEN COOKING PAN FIRE

Cover the pan completely with the lid, chopping board or any available, non-combustible of fire retardant
covering material.
Use Fire Blanket to cover the pan and smother the flames, If there is no lid
You may also use the ABC Fire Extinguisher.
Turn off the gas stove.
NOTE: Be careful about using water-soaked cloth or towel. The heat can easily dry this up and it will subsequently catch
fire itself, if you have no other resource but to use one, make sure it is thoroughly soaked and wet, and that it is large
enough to completely cover and smother the flames quickly. The best fire blanket is one that is made of fire resistant
or fire retardant materials that will not catch fire.

FURNITURE FIRE
 For non-synthetic furniture, immediately douse the smoldering flame with water, or use the fire extinguisher.
 Keep this up until the smoldering stops.
 Cover the furniture with fire blanket afterwards.
 For synthetic furniture, there is an added danger of toxic fumes from the synthetic materials they are made of.
 Unless you have air breathing apparatus- which you most likely do not have in the average home or office- you have no
other resource but to immediately evacuate, and just call for professional firefighters.

IF SOMEONE CATCHES FIRE

STOP moving immediately

DROP to the ground or floor
ROLL to smother the flames

MAKING A FIRE – SAFE HOME

For those who will take the initiative to keep theis homes safe from fire , here are few simple DO’S and DON’TS