May 11th, 2011
Any time you’re dealing with an open flame you should always be responsible and take the necessary precautions to avoid any accidents. An outdoor fire pit is inviting and a central point for socializing but make sure that it is also safe so you are free to enjoy it.
5 tips for fire safety
1) Bigger is not better. It can even be more dangerous. There is no need for a blazing bonfire – the bigger the fire, the greater the potential for a fire disaster.
2) Your fire pit should be at least 10 feet away from any structure or combustible surface.
3) Before lighting an outdoor fire, check the weather forecast. Be sure to avoid windy conditions that can blow embers.
4) Clean away leaves and other combustible materials around the pit to ensure the fire doesn’t accidentally spread.
5) Always have a container of water nearby or a garden hose on standby before starting the fire.
Protect yourself, your family and your home by using safe fire tending practices. Always have a fire escape plan and if needed, call 911 immediately.
For more fire safety tips, check out: Fire Safety Tips for Your Workplace.
Tags: Albemarle, campfire safety, fire pit, fire safety, fire safety checklist, Fire Safety Education, Firepit safety, home fire safety, kids fire safety, open fire safety
Posted in Burns, Children & Fire Safety, Fire Safety Education, Fire Safety Tips, Get Involved, Wildfires
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August 16th, 2010
In the sweltering heat of summer, the hot, dry weather creates a significant danger of wildfires. These huge fires are a force of nature, but that doesn’t mean you’re helpless to protect your home or family. Here are some tips from the Burn Institute to make sure your family stays safe, and to give you recommendations to moderate potential damage to your property.
Access and visibility
- Make sure the roadway approaching your home is wide enough to accommodate an evacuating car and an entering fire truck at the same time. Trim over-hanging branches to allow enough clearance for large emergency vehicles.
- Streets and roads must be marked with clearly visible street signs. Missing or difficult-to-read street signs can delay emergency response.
- Your address should be easy to see from the street. If necessary, post it at your driveway entrance as well as on your home. The numbers should be at least four inches tall on a contrasting background. Periodically check to make certain that new plant growth has not covered any part of your address.
Plan for evacuation
- Plan in advance to pack up and evacuate if your home is in the path of a wildfire.
- Make a list of important items to take with you, including valuables, family photographs and videos, and vital documents, such as insurance papers, birth certificates, and other legal papers.
- Be ready to take prescription medication, eyeglasses, and other health needs.
- Set up a plan for family members to reunite if separated.
- If you have family pets and livestock, include them in your plan. Have a supply of food and water ready, as well as leashes, carriers and trailers if needed. Shot records and other animal medical documents will be helpful if you cannot return home and need to board the animals.
For more safety information, please also review our step-by-step instructions on fire escape drill and wildfire safety tips and visit the Burn Institute.
If you’ve lived through a wildfire, we’d love to hear your story. You can reach us by email or in the comments below.
Tags: Burn Institute, fire escape plan, fire evacuation plan, fire preparedness, fire safety, home fire safety, wall of flames, wildfire preparedness, wildfire prevention
Posted in Fire Safety Education, Wildfires
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February 16th, 2010
For anyone who thought they knew all there was to know about fire safety, goats are doing their part. That’s right. The same animals that provide dairy products and that kids visit on the petting farms are nature’s firefighters.
According to the EarthTalk column in the Lexington Herald-Leader, goats are brought in as “grazers to keep the forest underbrush clear of the tinder-like grasses, bushes and small trees that allow flames to jump to the higher forest canopy and get further spread by the wind.”
In other words, these goats are preventing wildfires just by eating their way through California, Arizona and other drought-prone areas of the western United States.
To learn more about how these goats are protecting the forests from major fires, visit EarthTalk or Smithsonian Mag.
Tags: fire safety, wildfire prevention
Posted in Fire Safety Tips, Wildfires
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