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OTHER CONSUMER PAGES AS WELL
Fire kills approximately 6,000 people in the United States each year,
injures an additional 300,000 people and causes hundreds of millions of
dollars of property damage to homes, hotels, office buildings and other
structures. This information is intended to provide the public with several
helpful hints designed to decrease the risk of becoming a victim of fire.
All About Smoke Detectors
Fire is a product of combustion in which some type of fuel is heated to a
flammable temperature in the presence of oxygen. Bill Cantor's book describes
the process as follows:
Fuel + Heat + Oxygen = Fire
The deadliest products of combustion generated by all fires are poisonous
gases. Poisonous gases are responsible for most fire deaths. In most fires, only
10% of the products of combustion are visible. In some cases there is almost no
visible smoke. In other cases where the oxygen supply is limited, lots of smoke
may be produced. Regardless of the amount of smoke, poisonous gas is ALWAYS
present.
Most fires that kill start at night between the hour of midnight and six
o'clock in the morning. This is the time when families are least prepared to
deal with a fire. In almost all cases the fire starts small and may smolder for
several hours, producing deadly gases before erupting into an open flame. One
might never know of the danger until it is too late.
Smoke detectors are small, relatively in inexpensive items of equipment
designed to sense smoke before it becomes so dense that the occupants of the
home are overcome. There are two kinds of smoke detectors. The ionization smoke
detector works on the principle that a very minute amount of radiation from a
very weak source will increase the ability of normal air to conduct electricity.
In these detectors, a small and carefully shielded bit of radioactive material
"ionizes" the air in the chamber of the detector. As a result, a very weak
electric current flows through the chamber and is sensed by a special circuit.
When tiny particles of smoke enter the chamber, they reduce the flow of that
weak current. When the flow drops below an acceptable level the circuit
activates the alarm system.
The photoelectric smoke detector uses the principle of "seeing" smoke to
activate the buzzer. When particles of smoke are carried into the detector by
air circulation in the room, they each reflect or "scatter" light from a small
lamp in the device. Some of that reflected light falls on a photoelectric cell
causing it to produce a slight electric current. As the smoke increases, more
current is generated activating the alarm system, which notifies the central
station.
Smoke Detectors Are Helpful, but.......
Smoke detectors in homes are providing earlier warning of potentially
life-threatening fire situations and have reduced life loss, injuries and
property damage, according to a report released by the U.S. Fire Administration.
The most important feature of a smoke detector is the ability to connect
it to your central station monitored alarm system.
Cases have been documented where people asleep do not hear the siren. Only when
the central station contacted the fire department and the firemen awoke the
sleeping residents did they realize they were in danger. Also, by the time the
smoke detector is activated, you may already be unable to help yourself due to
the buildup of poisonous gases in the house. That $20 smoke detector from the
home supply store may detect the smoke, but it will not summon help!
The report, An Evaluation of Residential Smoke Detectors Under Actual
Field Conditions, is a part of a study conducted by the International
Association of Fire Chiefs Foundation under a grant from the U.S. Fire
Administration, The report evaluates data collected from 2,107 incidents
attended by fire departments in 14 jurisdictions. Also includes in the report
are the results of sensitivity tests conducted on more than 3,000 smoke
detectors.
Fire officers investigating the incidents determined that an alarm from a
smoke detector provided the first warning in 39% of all fire situations studies
in the project. According to the report,: the potential for reducing serious
injury or death increased to 90% when all the occupants were asleep."
Investigators estimated that fire loss was reduced in approximately 35% of fire
incidents because of the earlier warning provided by the detector.
Smoke detectors should be installed in an area close to the bedrooms since
the primary function of the smoke detectors is to awaken people. If two sleeping
areas are significantly separated, each area should have its own detector.
Consideration should always be given to the likely path along which smoke would
travel in your home. In single level homes, this usually means placing the first
detector in the hallway outside the bedrooms. If the bedrooms are upstairs, the
detector should be placed at the head of the stairs which lead to the bedroom
area. The simplest rule is to place the detector between the bedroom and the
rest of the house, but closer to the bedrooms.
Once you have protected your family with smoke detectors in the bedroom
areas, serious consideration should be given to protect your home with a
detector in the basement workshop and/or boiler area. Outside of the kitchen,
this is where the most frequent and severest fires occur. Since this area is
usually remote from the living areas, fires can get a good headstart.
A word of caution, smoke detectors are so sensitive that they can become a
nuisance. Even the smallest amount of smoke from cooking or using a power tool
can set it off. This sensitivity has caused some individuals to temporarily
disconnect the power source when about to perform some task that might cause the
alarm to go off. Unfortunately, some forget to restore that power. The most
common cause of detector failure is the removal of its source power.
The National Fire Protection Association advises not to install smoke
detectors "near windows, doors, or air registers where drafts could affect
detector sensitivity."
The list below shows required locations for smoke detectors. Detectors may
be wall mounted or ceiling mounted.
- Basement
- First Floor
- Bedroom Area
- Bedroom Area
ONCE THE PROPER LOCATION HAS BEEN SELECTED, WHAT'S THE RIGHT POSITION FOR
THE DETECTOR? Check the instructions that come with your detector. Most
recommend installing smoke detectors on the ceiling or on the walls between 6
and 12 inches below the ceiling. This not only takes advantage of the fact that
most smoke rises, but puts the detector safely above accidental bumps and the
inquiring hands of children. There is one place NOT to put a detector. Don't
place it within six inches of where the wall and ceiling meet, on either
surface. This has proven to be a "dead air" space that receives little air
circulation.
Some peculiarities of air flow and ceiling temperature needs to be
considered in certain installations. Excessive "clean" air flow across a
detector can keep smoke-filled air from reaching the smoke chamber. This can
happen if the detector is mounted in front of an air supply duct outlet, or
between the bedroom and the furnace cold air return. In either of these
instances, relatively clean air may be "washing" the detector even when most of
the air in the house is un-breathable.
Maintenance is Important
The best advice is to consult with a home security professional who is a
MBFAA member. Your smoke detector must be maintained properly to provide you and
your family with protection.
How?
- Replace batteries according to the dealer's instructions.
Battery operated units require more maintenance, as batteries must be
replaced.
- Clean the grillwork of your detector.
- Have your alarm dealer test the system each year.
Smoke detectors are not expensive. High quality, efficient detectors are
available at prices ranging from $99-$199. The cost of a human life saved by a
smoke detector cannot be measured.
An
Introduction to E.D.I.T.H.
E.D.I.T.H. stands for Exit Drills In The Home. The National Fire Protection
Association advises you not to wait for "smoke and fire to surprise you."
A smoke detector in working condition will usually give you ample time to
evacuate the house. But remember, the best fire detection equipment can only
tell you that there is a fire. The other half of your home fire safety program
should be a family escape plan.
Plan what action family members will take in the event of a fire, and then
practice your plan. There should be at least two escape routes from each
bedroom. All family members should know all the escape routes, including the
upstairs windows. Agree in advance on an outside meeting place so that you'll
know if everyone has safely escaped.
If there is a need for immediate escape, don't waste time trying to fight
the fire—and don't stop to call the fire department from a phone in the house.
Call from a neighbor's phone or from another safe location. Staying in the house
to call the fire department could cost you your life.
Preparing an
escape plan for your family is relatively easy.
Step1: Obtain a piece of graph paper and diagram the bedroom area of
your home. Show the exterior walls with windows, all of the interior walls with
doorways, stairways, and any other means of exits. If the bedrooms are on the
second floor, and there is a single story roof outside a bedroom window, show
that also.
Step2: Select the best emergency escape route for each bedroom. Test
all windows to insure they work properly. Insure that all family members can
crawl through them easily.
Step3: Draw arrows on your diagram to show the normal exits from each
room. Draw arrows of a different, preferably bright color to show the emergency
exits to be used if the normal exists are blocked by fire or heavy smoke.
Step4: Select a meeting place outside the home where all family
member can gather and be accounted for, preferably away from the house, on the
street, in the far corner of the yard, or a neighbor's lawn are ideal.
Step5: Call the fire department from outside the home. Do not call
them from inside the burning building. That could cost you your life.
Pre-arrange with your neighbor to use the telephone during the emergency. Be
sure that all members of your family know the police/fire emergency number. When
the operator answers, STAY CALM, speak slowly to avoid any mix-up
information, and wait to answer any specific questions before hanging up.
Be sure that each person in your home has two escape routes. If necessary,
move furniture and purchase a chain ladder for each bedroom.
Special provision must be made for the handicapped such as installing a door
between bedrooms, through a closet, etc.
Don't waste time collecting clothing or valuables. Your own life is your
most valuable possession. When you leave your room, check the inside surface of
the door with the palm of your hand, starting at the top and moving down. If it
is hot, use the emergency escape route. Don't open the door. If you think the
door is safe, open it with your weight behind it so it can be closed quickly if
smoke and hot air rush in.
DONT'S
- Don't panic.
- Don't stand up - crawl.
- Don't open the door without first checking it.
- Don't breath deeply - take short shallow breaths.
- Don't take time to gather valuables or get dressed.
- Don't jump out the window in a panic. Open the top and bottom. Signal to
rescuers.
- Don't hide under beds or in a closet.
- Don't forget your meeting place
- Don't scream on the phone to the Fire Department. Talk slowly.
- Don't re-enter the house. Nothing is as valuable as your own life.
- DON'T FAIL TO PRACTICE.
What to do
Away From Home
If you are traveling or attending a convention or meeting, this information
can save the lives of your family and yourself. In most cases people do not to
burn to death. Just as in house fires, they are killed by fire combustion
by-products such as smoke and gases, or become victims of panic or accident. A
few moments taken when you check into a hotel or motel, when entering a meeting
hall, a theatre or restaurant can spell the difference between life and death.
On entering a hotel/motel room, and unpacking, guests sharing the same room
should check out together the nearest fire exit on the floor. Open the exit door
to make sure it is operates properly and check that the stairway is clear of any
obstruction. Then look for another fire exit, in another direction, and check it
too. If either exit is not clear, immediately visit the Manager's office and
demand that the fire exit be cleared. If this is not done, either phone the
local Fire Department to report the hazard—or check out.
Count the doors on the way to the exit and note their location in the
corridor, any turns and the distance from your room to emergency exits. Note the
location of fire extinguishers and alarms on your floor at the same time you
locate the fire exit. Remember that in case of fire, the exit light might be
out, or obscured by smoke. You may have to crawl on the floor with a different
view point if the hall is smoke-filled. NEVER try to use the elevator; in most
cases it will have halted in the worst fire area with the door jammed open from
light activated controls. In addition, the shaft acts as a flue, for the upward
flow of smoke and gas. If you need to crawl past the elevator door be careful,
the shaft door might be open, even if the elevator door is not there.
Occasionally there is smoke without fire, contrary to the old saying. A
smoldering mattress of stuffed furniture will produce great quantities of smoke.
Most burning fabrics and materials produce toxic gas.
If you discover a fire, not only phone the desk, but dial an outside line
and call the local Fire Department. Then close all doors leading to the fire.
Leave the building immediately.
When you go through the door, close it behind you. An open fire door will
draw smoke, endangering you and others. Don't hesitate to use the fire
extinguisher. Notify the front desk after you put out the fire, it might
rekindle.
Fight Back
If you hear an alarm, or are called about a fire, pick up your room key.
Test the door with the palm of your hand to see if it is hot. If it is, leave it
closed!! If the door is hot, or if the hall is filled with smoke open your
window, unless there is smoke outside. Turn off the air conditioner, fill the
tub and sink with water. Use the ice bucket or a glass to wet the door and the
carpet. Wet all towels, drapes, bedclothes and stuff them around the hall door
and connecting doors. Close the vent fans. If they cannot be closed, stuff with
a wet towel or cloth. Do not get into the tub yourself.
Phone the desk or the Fire Department with your location and whether or not
you are trapped. Stay calm! If you cannot get through on the phone, hang a wet
sheet out the window. Do not try to jump out unless you are on the first floor,
you can be seriously or fatally injured from even a second floor jump. Stay in
your room with a wet cloth over your nose and mouth. Lie on the floor if the
smoke enters. Keep the door wet and wait. Most city Fire Departments can reach
up to the 10th floor with ladders or baskets. Above that level they can come
down from the roof to your room window or reach you from the corridor outside
your room. You are probably in less danger than you think. Don't panic!!
If there is little or no smoke in the hall when you crack the door, tie a
wet cloth over your face and leave immediately, taking your key with you, in the
event you may have to return to your room. Depending on the smoke level, walk or
crawl to the nearest fire exit or, if blocked by fire, try the alternate fire
exit previously scouted.
First, try to reach the ground floor. If this route is blocked, head to the
roof to await rescue. If both escape routes are blocked, return to your room and
follow previous instructions. Remain calm and wait for rescue.
Fire
Protection Measures For The Home and Apartment
The National Fire Protection Association lists the following measures to help
prevent fire in the home or apartment.
- Careless smokers put other lives at risk. Keep large
ashtrays for smokers. Before going to bed, check behind the furniture and
under the cushions for dropped matches or cigarettes that can smolder
undetected. Never smoke in bed- and remind others of this.
- Smoke matches and lighters above the "strike zone"- that
area between the floor and adult shoulder height within the reach of
children.
- Be alert to electrical hazards such as broken appliances,
worn electrical cords, over loaded extension cords.
- Flammable liquids are dangerous; their vapors can ignite
even at temperatures below zero. Don't store gasoline or other flammable
liquids in your apartment, in other parts of the building, or in your car,
or your garage.
- Use care when cooking. Wear short or tight fitting
sleeves that won't brush against burners. Don't use open barbecue grills in
your apartment or on the balcony or in the garage - a wayward ember could
mean fire for you or your neighbor.
- Don't use balconies, porches or furnace rooms for storage
where fires can start and burn undetected. These areas also offer prime
targets for arsonists.
We hope you are never involved in a fire, at home or away.
But if you are, these instructions could well save your
life and that of your loved ones. Read them and heed them.
Make Fire Prevention/Protection a family habit.
Call your MBFAA Dealer for assistance!
What is
carbon monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is a combustion by-product that is produced by the incomplete
combustion of a fuel. Carbon monoxide is also referred to as "CO" Do not confuse
carbon monoxide with carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon dioxide is exhaled from your
body every time you breathe, and it not considered a hazard.
Why is
Carbon monoxide (CO) deadly to people?
When carbon monoxide is produced, it is odorless and colorless, and
undetectable to the human nose. Carbon monoxide poisons people because it very
effectively replaces the oxygen in the bloodstream. The tissues in the body
essentially suffocate because they cannot get the needed life sustaining oxygen.
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