Fire Know The Facts

Everybody knows how destructive fire can be, but there may be some things that you do not know about fire that will shock you. This is why it is important to have appropriate fire safety training in your areas of work and to know where your fire alarms and exits are at home, too.

 

One interesting fact is that the most common cause of deaths by fire is cooking fires. Did you know that the kitchen is the most hazardous room in the house? This is because there is so much in the kitchen which could lead to fire. You may leave your stove unattended, or you may leave a flammable material near an open flame. They can also be due to general human error, such as leaving kitchen appliances on or electrical failures in various appliances across the kitchen.

 

The problem with fire is that it spreads very quickly. It actually takes less than 30 seconds for fire to become out of control. You may leave a cigarette in the living room by a cushion, which quickly catches alight and then travels up the curtain – it can all too soon spiral way out of control.

Although fire brigades will travel very quickly to any distress call, by the time that any fire engine will be able to treat the fire, it may have already destroyed a lot of your possessions and even the building itself. This is why it is a good idea to have the proper equipment and systems in place within your premises that could help to extinguish a fire as soon as it breaks out.

 

A sad fact is that the majority of deaths and injuries caused by fire could have been prevented had the premises been fully equipped with the right safety equipment and comprehensive fire risk assessments carried out to identify potential dangers and hazards.

It is also interesting to note that it isn’t the flames that cause most fire deaths. Although being caught in a fire can cause you great injury, it is actually the smoke which will kill you before the flames do. Smoke is thick, dark and toxic. Within a few moments, the smoke can fill your lungs and make you very sleepy and disorientated. Also in buildings, the black smoke can completely block any light getting to the room and people trapped can lose their sense of knowing where they are and how to get out.

 

Many people are also poisoned by smoke. Children can breathe in smoke in their sleep and will not awaken to alert you to the fire. If the fire spreads very quickly around the home, it can get to around 300°C. Obviously such an overwhelming heat can cause devastating consequences.

It is very important to install fire alarms around your property, whether a domestic or commercial property, to alert you to the possibility of fire in the area. Fire alarms are very cheap and easy to install, and with very little maintenance they can continue to monitor your house and alert you if any smoke is in the area. Saying that, it is important to do quick, regular checks to make sure your alarm is still working.

 

However, hearing a fire alarm may not be enough to allow everybody to get out of the building quickly enough if it is out of control. Fire is very unpredictable and very dangerous. It is important that you do everything you can to avoid possibilities of fire in the area, and also install fire extinguishers in your kitchen or in the business property so that you may have a chance of treating the fire before it gets out of control.

Fire safety is not something to be overlooked. It is crucial that adequate procedures are put in place to ensure the risks stay as low as possible.