February 27th, 2012
Barns and stables, filled with highly flammable hay, bedding, and feed, are a big fire risk. Add the presence of panicked animals and you have a recipe for a disaster if a fire breaks out.
Unfortunately, stable fires aren’t an uncommon occurrence. If you look in most stables, you can find wet hay stored near horses, oily rags, cigarette smoking, and overloaded or damaged electrical wiring and heaters. All these are leading causes of fires.But these expensive and tragic disasters can be simply prevented by understanding the problem.
Hay is often stored in the same barn or stable with horses to save time and cost.
This usually causes no problems, but many owners don’t realize that improperly cured and baled hay can cause a fire. Even good hay stored under a leaking roof can start fires. The best ways to prevent hay fires are to keep hay in a separate location, and make sure it is dry when stored and stays dry in storage.
There are many other causes of fires. Some common ones and ways of preventing them:
- Overloaded or damaged extension cords. The simple solution to this one is just to not use extension cords. If it is unavoidable, use heavy-duty cords and only use one appliance per cord.
- Damaged electrical wires—often caused by rodents, damaged wires can spark fires. Replace the damaged wires instead of wrapping them with electrical tape, which does not fix the problem. To prevent rodents from chewing wiring, run it through metal conduits rather than plastic or PVC ones. Also, stringing wires over nails can result in the insulation being damaged over the nail, causing a risk of fires. All wires should be properly strung through metal conduits.
- Dust from hay or bedding. When this collects on electrical appliances, heaters, and fans, it can combust and start fires. Clean the interior of electric appliances regularly to prevent the dust from building up.
- Smoking, if allowed at all on the ranch, should never be allowed in or near the barn. Smokers should light up no less than twenty feet from the barns.
- Improper use of heaters—Heaters that blow directly on bedding, rags, or hay can cause severe fires because the heaters are often left unattended. Read the heater’s directions carefully, and make sure they blow into an open area free of flammable materials.
- Rags and paper towels used to clean tack and hooves can spontaneously combust if soaked with oil or petroleum products and left in a pile. Don’t leave these rags in a heap. If they are stored so that the heat can safely dissipate into the air, rather than remaining trapped in a pile, there is little risk of fire.
Taking the time now to perform these fire prevention steps can save a costly and dangerous fire later.
Tags: barn fire prevention, fire escape plan, fire extinguisher, fire prevention, fire safety, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips
Posted in Burns, Children & Fire Safety, Fire & Smoke Alarms, Fire Safety Devices, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, Get Involved
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January 18th, 2012
As teachers, it is important to teach your students the fundamentals of fire safety. Below are lessons you can use to help make the fire safety activities more enjoyable.
Fire Extinguisher Kit
Have the children bring any size metal can with a plastic lid to school and a box of baking soda or salt. Cover the cans with red construction paper, write FIRE! all over the red paper with a white crayon, and fill them with salt or baking soda.
Slip a note inside the can telling mom that because we have learned NOT to ever throw water on a grease fire (because that would make it bigger), we have made a safe fire extinguisher for the kitchen. Also add instructions that this can is for sitting close to the stove where kitchen fires are apt to begin.
Firefighter Tips
Dress each student in a fire hat and coat (borrowed or from the dress-up clothes) and take pictures of the children wearing them. Then each child tells a fire safety tip. Mount the tip on a paper with their picture and the title “Firefighter Josh says…”
Art Projects
Fire Spatters - Draw a simple house frame with windows onto paper and then duplicate for each child. Let child color, if he/she desires. Then give each student a tiny dot of red in each window. Encourage him/her to blow thru a straw to blow the paint, to create a fire spray effect. Repeat with a tiny dot of yellow in each window.
Fire Painting- Give student a black piece of paper. Squirt thick lines of yellow, red, and orange paint randomly onto the paper. Give the child a piece of saran wrap and lay over the paint. Encourage the child to pull the saran wrap off, using vertical pulling action. Remove saran wrap and let dry. If desired glue on a small fire engine.
Big Red- Run a black line master of a fire engine onto thick tag-board. Then give each child a chance to paint the fire engine red, using finger paint, easel paint, marble painting, etc; (To marble paint, dip marbles in red paint. Place picture in a shallow tray and let the children shake the tray back and forth, creating marble marks; continue until child is satisfied.)
For more information on school fire safety, view:
Schools are for Learning, Not Burning
Tags: elementray fire safety lessons, fire extinguisher, fire prevention, fire safety, Fire Safety Education, fire safety lessons, kids fire safety, school fire safety, teach lessons, teacher fire safety activities
Posted in Children & Fire Safety, Fire & Smoke Alarms, Fire Safety & Electronics, Fire Safety Devices, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, Get Involved
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January 13th, 2012
A chimney fire in action can be impressive. It has been described variously as creating loud cracking and popping noises, a lot of dense smoke and an intense, hot smell. Chimney fires can burn explosively – noisy and dramatic enough to be detected by neighbors or people passing by. Flames or dense smoke may shoot from the top of the chimney. Homeowners report being startled by a low rumbling sound that reminds them of a freight train or a low flying airplane. However, those are only the chimney fires you know about.
Slow-burning chimney fires don’t get enough air or have fuel to be dramatic or visible. But, the temperatures they reach are very high and can cause as much damage to the chimney structure – and nearby combustible parts of the house – as their more spectacular cousins. With proper chimney system care, chimney fires are entirely preventable.
Masonry Chimneys.
When chimney fires occur in masonry chimneys, the high temperatures at which they burn (around 2000°F) can melt mortar, crack tiles, cause liners to collapse and damage the outer masonry material. Most often, tiles crack and mortar is displaced, which provides a pathway for flames to reach the combustible wood frame of the house. One chimney fire may not harm a home. A second can burn it down. Pre-fabricated, factory-built, metal chimneys. To be installed in most jurisdictions in the United States, factory built, metal chimneys that are designed to vent wood burning stoves or pre-fabricated metal fireplaces must pass special tests determined by Underwriter’s Laboratories (UL). Most tests require the chimney to withstand flue temperatures up to 2100°F – without sustaining damage. Under chimney fire conditions, damage to these systems still may occur. When pre-fabricated, factory-built metal chimneys are damaged by a chimney fire, they should no longer be used and must be replaced.
For more information on chimney fires, view:
Creosote Chimney Fires – What You Must Know.
Tags: Albemarle, chimney fire, fire safety, home fire safety, home fires, masonry chimney
Posted in Burns, Children & Fire Safety, Fire & Smoke Alarms, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips
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December 26th, 2011
Fireplaces and wood stoves are designed to safely contain wood-fuel fires, while providing heat for a home. The chimneys that serve them have the job of expelling the byproducts of combustion – the substances produced when wood burns. These include smoke, water vapor, gases, unburned wood particles, hydrocarbon volatile, tar fog and assorted minerals. As these substances exit the fireplace or wood stove, and flow up into the relatively cooler chimney, condensation occurs.
The resulting residue that sticks to the inner walls of the chimney is called creosote. Creosote is black or brown in appearance. It can be crusty and flaky…tar-like, drippy and sticky…or shiny and hardened. Often, all forms will occur in one chimney system. Whatever form it takes, creosote is highly combustible. If it builds up in sufficient quantities – and catches fire inside the chimney flue instead of the firebox of the fireplace or wood stove – the result will be a chimney fire. Although any amount of creosote can burn, sweeps are concerned when creosote builds up in sufficient quantities to sustain a long, hot, destructive chimney fire. Certain conditions encourage the buildup of creosote. Simply put, restricted air supply, unseasoned wood and cooler-than normal chimney temperatures are all factors that can accelerate the buildup of creosote on chimney flue walls.
Air supplies on fireplaces may be restricted by closed glass doors or by failure to open the damper wide enough to move heated smoke up the chimney rapidly (the longer the smoke’s “residence time” in the flue, the more likely is it that creosote will form). A wood stove’s air supply can be limited by closing down the stove damper or air inlets too soon and too much, and by improperly using the stovepipe damper to restrict air movement. Burning unseasoned wood – because so much energy is used initially just to drive off the water trapped in the cells of the logs– keeps the resulting smoke cooler, as it moves through the system, than if dried seasoned wood is used. In the case of wood stoves, fully packed loads of wood (that give large cool fires and 8 or 10 hour burn times) also contribute to creosote buildup. Cool flue temperatures speed creosote production, too. Condensation of the unburned byproducts of combustion occurs more rapidly in an exterior chimney, for example, than in a chimney that runs through the center of a house and exposes only the upper reaches of the flue to the elements.
For more safety tips on fire places, click here.
Tags: chimney fire, cooking fire safety tips, cresote fire, fire prevention, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, home fire safety
Posted in Burns, Children & Fire Safety, Fire & Smoke Alarms, Fire Safety Devices, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, Get Involved
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December 23rd, 2011
The winter holidays are a time for celebration, and that means more cooking, home decorating, entertaining, and an increased risk of fire due to heating equipment. Remember the following safety tips to keep you and your family safe this holiday season.
- Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. When cooking for holiday visitors, remember to keep an eye on the range.
- Provide plenty of large, deep ashtrays for guests who smoke and check them frequently. Cigarette butts can smolder in the trash and cause a fire, so completely douse cigarette butts with water before discarding.
- After a party, always check on, between and under upholstery and cushions and inside trashcans for cigarette butts that may be smoldering.
- Keep matches and lighters up high, out of sight and reach of children (preferably in a locked cabinet). When smokers visit your home, ask that they keep smoking materials with them.
- Any string of lights with worn, frayed or broken cords or loose bulb connections should not be used.
- Always unplug Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to sleep.
- Never use lit candles to decorate a tree, and place them well away from tree branches.
- Try to keep live trees as moist as possible by giving them plenty of water daily. Do not purchase a tree that is dry or dropping needles.
- Choose a sturdy tree stand designed not to tip over.
- When purchasing an artificial tree, be sure it is labeled as fire-retardant.
- Make sure the tree is at least three feet (one meter) away from any heat source and try to position it near an outlet so that cords are not running long distances.
- Do not place the tree where it may block exits.
- Safely dispose of the tree when it begins dropping needles. Dried-out trees are highly flammable and should not be left in a house or garage, or placed against the house.
For more holiday safety tips, click here.
Tags: cooking fire safety tips, fire escape plan, fire prevention, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, home fire safety
Posted in Children & Fire Safety, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, Get Involved
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November 16th, 2011
Building a bonfire
Fire can spread easily, so where and how you build your bonfire is important. If you have a bonfire, follow these simple guidelines:
- only burn dry material not damp, which causes more smoke
- build the bonfire away from sheds, fences and trees
- check there are no cables – like telephone wires – above the bonfire
- don’t use petrol or paraffin to get the fire going – it may get out of control quickly
Bonfire safety tips
Once the bonfire is lit, make sure you:
- keep a bucket of water or a garden hose nearby - in case of emergencies
- don’t leave the bonfire unattended
- keep children and pets away from the bonfire
- don’t throw any fireworks into the fire
- don’t burn aerosols, canisters or anything containing foam or paint – many produce toxic fumes and some containers may explode, causing injury
Once the bonfire has died down, spray the embers with water to stop it reigniting.
For more on bonfire safety, click here.
Tags: Albemarle, bonfire safety, burn awareness week, fire prevention, fire safety, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, home fire safety
Posted in Children & Fire Safety, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, Get Involved, Pets & Fire
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October 11th, 2011
This year from October 9th – 15th, the nation recognizes fire safety for families with Fire Prevention Week, dedicated by the National Fire Prevention Association. Since 1922, Fire Prevention Week has been observed on the Sunday through Saturday period in which October 9 falls. Fire Prevention Week was established to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that killed more than 250 people, left 100,000 homeless, destroyed more than 17,400 structures and burned more than 2,000 acres. The fire began on October 8 and continued into October 9, where it did most of its damage.
In honor of this week, we offer these ideas on fire prevention to keep you and your family safe:
- Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
- Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
- Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
- Replace or repair damaged or loose electrical cords.
- If you smoke, smoke outside.
- Use deep, wide ashtrays on a sturdy table.
- Blow out all candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep.
For more information about fire safety week, visit the National Fire Protection Association website.
Tags: burn awareness week, cooking fire safety tips, electronic fire safety, fire prevention, fire prevention week, fire safety, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety for All, fire safety for families, fire safety for kids
Posted in Children & Fire Safety, Fire Safety Devices, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, Get Involved
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September 29th, 2011
Maryland and Nevada recently updated their school bus fire safety standards, so why is the rest of the nation still relying on regulations from the 1960’s to protect their children? Well, CFFSI is hoping to change that, state by state, in the fall session.
With more than 1.5 Million children riding school buses in the US each day, it is shocking that national fire safety standards have not kept pace with the evolution of modern technology. Maryland and Nevada recognized the need to protect big yellows from the dangers of fast spreading flames and codified standards to set a maximum burn rate for the seats and engine components.
For more information view:
Citizens for Fire Safety
Nevada and Maryland Drive School Bus Fire Safety for our Kids with New Law
Tags: burn awareness week, fire escape plan, fire extinguisher, fire preparedness, fire prevention, fire safety, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety for All, school bus fire safety
Posted in Children & Fire Safety, Fire & Smoke Alarms, Fire Saefty Awards, Fire Safety & Electronics, Fire Safety Conferences & Events, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, Get Involved, Uncategorized
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September 27th, 2011
As summer turns to fall, it’s a good idea to refresh your memory on fall fire safety tips. Some safety tips are the same regardless of the time of year, but many safety concerns are seasonal, particularly those that involve keeping your home warm.
Clearing water from sprinkler systems, getting the furnace fixed, and repairing damaged windows help to keep a home running through the winter months. Many people don’t realize that homes are at a greater risk of fire in the cooler months. The following fall fire safety tips can help home owners prepare their home and protect their families.
- Change the battery in smoke detectors when they changing your clocks during Daylight Savings. Changing the batteries every six months prevents detectors from going dead.
- If you have a chimney, clean it! Creosote is a deposit from smoke that can build up in a chimney and can start a fire.
- Space heaters can also be a fire hazard, it is recommended to create a safe area around the heater. Any furniture should be at least three feet away.
- Trees should be a minimum of 30 feet away from the house and branches and leaves should be cleaned up to limit fuel for a fire.
For more info on fire safety, check out:
Home Fire Sources at Its Worst
Tags: cooking fire safety tips, electronics fire safety, fall fire safety, fire escape plan, fire extinguisher, fire safety, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, home fire safety
Posted in Burns, Children & Fire Safety, Fire Safety & Electronics, Fire Safety Devices, Fire Safety Tips, Get Involved, Uncategorized
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August 17th, 2011
Fire Related Accident Facts
How Many People Die in US Home Fires? One life Lost is too Many.
In 2009, U.S. fire departments responded to 362,500 home structure fires. These fires caused 12,650 civilian injuries, 2,565 civilian deaths, $7.6 billion in direct damage.
- 92% of all civilian structure fire deaths resulted from home structure fires.
- Cooking is the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries.
- Kitchens are the leading area of origin for home structure fires (37%) and civilian home fire injuries (36%).
- Only 4% of home fires started in the living room, family room, or den; these fires caused 24% of home fire deaths.
- 8% of reported home fires started in the bedroom. These fires caused 25% of home fire deaths, 21% of home fire injuries, and 14% of the direct property damage.
- Smoking is a leading cause of civilian home fire deaths.
- Home structure fires peak around dinner hours between 5:00 and 8:00 pm.
- Almost two-thirds (62%) of reported home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
- Most fatal fires kill one or two people. In 2009, 9 home fires killed five or more people. These 9 fires resulted in 59 deaths.
Fires between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. caused half of home fire deaths. Sundays were the peak day for reported home fires and home fire injuries while fatal home fire injuries were more likely to occur on Saturday.
What are you doing to prevent home fire fatalities?
For more information on home fire safety, view:
8 Questions to Ensure Fire Safety for You and Your Family
Home Fire Sources at its Worst
Tags: Albemarle, cooking fire safety tips, electronics fire safety, fire escape plan, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, home fire safety
Posted in Children & Fire Safety, Fire & Smoke Alarms, Fire Safety & Electronics, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, Get Involved
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