FIRE ALERT MAGAZINE | Issue 1

Welcome to FIRE ALERT Magazine,Fire Alert features life saving tips and information to keep your family safe in the event of a fire. Available for free to anyone with a computer, Fire Alert is jam-packed with important fire safety facts and statistics.

We hope you will take the time to explore this publication that will help your family increase its fire safety knowledge and preparedness.

To accomplish our mission of keeping families and firefighters safe, we need your support. We assure you that the information contained in Fire Alert will prove to be valuable in the event of a fire emergency.

Best wishes,

Fire Alert Staff

Fire Alert Magazine ISSUE 1

LETTER


Grease fires happen when collections of oil or grease on a stove, oven or fryer get hot enough to ignite. Grease fires are extremely dangerous because the fuel source (the grease) is a liquid, and easily splashed. Grease fire burn very hot and can quickly spread to cabinets or other flammable areas of the kitchen.

The most important thing you can do to prevent a fire in the kitchen is to stay put. The NFPA reports that unattended cooking is the leading cause of home cooking fires. Stay by the stove and be prepared for flames.

You only have a few moments to either put out a grease fire or escape the house.

Here’s How:1. DO NOT USE WATER ON A GREASE FIRE! (see Tips) Start evacuating everyone from the building. Fires spread extremely fast and can overwhelm victims in minutes. Treat burns only after evacuating the building.

2. Call 911. There’s no reason to wait, and the fire department can always go back to the station if you are able to get the fire out without help.

3. The easiest way to smother a grease fire is to cover it with a pan lid. Be careful with glass lids; they can break from the extreme heat of open flame.

PUT A LID ONGREASE FIRES


4. Grease fires can also be smothered with baking soda, but it takes a lot of baking soda to do the trick. Unless the baking soda is easily accessible, it’s usually easier to quickly find a lid.

5. A dry chemical fire extinguisher will also work, but it will contaminate your kitchen and food. Class K fire extinguishers are available to put out grease and other kitchen fires, but they are usually only found in commercial kitchens.

Tips:1. DO NOT PUT WATER ON A GREASE FIRE! This can not be stressed enough. Pouring water on burning grease or oil will not extinguish the fire. It will only cause the burning oil to splash, spreading the grease fire around.

2. DO NOT TRY TO CARRY THE FIRE OUTSIDE! Trying to carry a pot or pan full of burning oil will just slosh and splash the grease fire.

3. Treat burns only after the fire is contained or the building is completely evacuated. Read How to Treat a Burn for advice on burn treatment.

4. If clothes are caught on fire; STOP, DROP, and ROLL to extinguish them.

hackalife.com

TOP 10 CAUSESOF HOUSEHOLD FIRES

1. Cooking Equipment

2. Heating Equipment

3. Smoking

4. Electrical Equipment

5. Candles

6. Children Playing With Fire

7. Inadequate Wiring

8. Flamable Liquids

9. Christmas Trees/Decorations

10. Barbecues


GRILL SAFETY A FUN BARBECUE IS A SAFE BARBECUE

With more Americans lighting their grills than ever before, it’s important to remember that a fun barbecue is a safe barbecue.

The following safety tips are designed to guide you through the grilling process. Remember, anytime you work with fire, there’s a chance of getting burned. So, take precautions. Common sense and planning will prevent injuries.

Grills are for outside, only.Barbecue grills are designed for outdoor use, only. Never barbecue in your trailer, tent, house, garage, or any enclosed area because carbon monoxide may accumulate and kill you.

Use in well-ventilated area.Set up your grill in an open area that is away from buildings, overhead combustible surfaces, dry leaves, or brush. Be sure to avoid high traffic areas and always barbecue in a well-ventilated area. Be aware of wind-blown sparks.

Keep grill stable.When using a barbecue grill, be sure that all parts of the unit are firmly in place and that the grill is stable (can’t be tipped over).

Use long-handled utensils.Use barbecue utensils with long handles (forks, tongs, etc.) to avoid burns and splatters.

themeathouseblog.com


Keep fire under control.To put out flare-ups, either raise the grid that the food is on, spread the coals out evenly, or adjust the controls to lower the temperature. If you must douse the flames with a light spritz of water, first remove the food from the grill.

Be ready to extinguish flames.Use baking soda to control a grease fire and have a fire extinguisher handy. A bucket of sand or a garden hose should be near if you don’t have a commercial extinguisher.

Consider placing a grill pad or splatter mat beneath your grill.These naturally heat resistant pads are usually made of lightweight composite cement or plastic and will protect your deck or patio from any grease that misses the drip pan.

Never leave a grill unattended once lit.

Stay away from hot grill.Don’t allow anyone to conduct activity near the grill when in use or immediately following its use. The grill body remains hot up to an hour after being used.

Don’t move a hot grill.Never attempt to move a hot grill. It’s easy to stumble or drop it and serious burns could result.

wikipedia.com

CAMPFIRE SAFETY TIPS1. Dig a small pit away from overhanging branches. (Most parks have campfire pits ready and waiting for you.)

2. Circle the pit with rocks or be sure it already has a metal fire ring.

3. Clear a five-foot area around the pit down to the soil.

4. Keep a bucket of water and a shovel nearby.

5. Stack extra wood upwind and away from the fire.

6. After lighting, do not discard the match until it is cold.

7. Never leave a campfire unattended, not even for a minute.


Living Room• Hire a professional to clean the chimney once per year.

• Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and replace batteries every six months.

• Always turn off space heaters when you leave the room.

• Power strips, when overloaded, can cause electrical fires.

• Keep all flammables at least three feet away from the fireplace.

• Keep candles and lamps at least one foot away from your curtains.

• Use safety caps to cover all unused electrical outlets.

• Use large, deep ashtrays. Never leave a burning cigarette unattended.

Bedroom• Replace electric blankets more than 10 years old or with damaged cords, wires or temperature control.

• Install a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm on ceilings or high on walls on every level of the house, and in every room used for sleeping.

• Anyone dependent on a walker or wheelchair should sleep on the ground floor.

• Never use candles in bedrooms.

• Don’t run electrical cords under rugs.

• Replace and repair loose or frayed electrical cords.

• Don’t allow permanent use of extension cords.

• Don’t staple or nail electrical cords.

• Never smoke in bed.

Bathroom• Install light bulbs with wattages that are at or below fixtures’ recommended wattage.

• Be sure matches, lighters and candles are out of children’s reach.

• Don’t overload electrical outlets with cords from too many appliances.

• If an electrical outlet or switch feels unusually warm, stop using it and call an electrician.

• Never set hot appliances on flammable materials.

• Unplug all appliances when done using them.

• Keep towels and other flammables three feet away from heaters.

blog.ba-stores.com

bathroomwallcabinetsnow.com

FIREFACTS PROTECT YOUR HOME FROM COMMON HAZARDS


Hallways• Don’t use extension cords that are frayed or wrapped in a coil, and don’t run cords under rugs.

• Install ceiling-mounted smoke and carbon monoxide alarms that are at least four inches away from the walls on every level of your home.

• Test your smoke alarms once a month.

• Don’t install smoke alarms near windows, doors or ducts.

• Vacuum your smoke alarms every six months.

• Change your smoke alarm batteries twice per year. Make sure batteries are always in smoke alarms.

Basement• Repair appliances that routinely blow fuses or trip circuit breakers.

• Clean your dryer filter after every load.

• Never dry things that have been in contact with flammable liquids.

• Use a space heater only for extra warmth, not as a main heat source.

• Make sure an extension cord’s capacity matches the appliance.

• If you keep a pet in a kennel, place it next to an exit.

• Have your heating system serviced once a year.

• When buying a new unit, have a qualified technician install it.

• Choose a heating device with an automatic shutoff feature.markaustinhomes.com

theeagle.com

homedecorexchange.com

Kitchen• Limit distractions like computers, TVs or phones.

• Keep a multipurpose fire extinguisher in a place where it is easy to access.

• Be sure you are properly trained to use your fire extinguisher.

• Never leave anything on the stove unattended.

• Keep any flammables such as dishtowels and plastic/paper food packaging away from the stove.

• Maintain a three-foot kid-free zone by the stove.

• Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing while cooking.

• Pay close attention while frying or grilling.

• Smother oven or microwave fires by turning off the appliance and keeping the door closed.

• Never attempt to fight a fire that spreads quickly or won’t go out. Close the door, leave your house and call the fire department from outside.


Hey Kids!

My name is Joe the firefighter, and I’m here to help you learn about firesafety!

Ask an adult to help you print out your copy of Fire Alert Magazine and you’ll be ready to color and learn!

You’ll learn all about the parts of a fire engine, how to create a fire saftey escape plan, and so much more!

KIDS CORNERCOLOR AND LEARN

*IMAGE ADAPTED FROM ADAFIRE.ORG

COLOR ME!LEARN THE PARTS OF A FIRE ENGINE


MAZE

WORD SEARCH firefighter heat smoke detector practice crawl escape route fire engine smoke safety first

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USFA.DHS.GOV


RESCUE TRUCK (SUTPHEN.COM)

TILLER TRUCK (WIKIPEDIA.COM)

PUMPER TRUCK (FLICKR.COM)

AERIAL LADDER TRUCK (NRIDGEVILLE.ORG)

DISCOVERDIFFERENT FIRE TRUCKS


*IMAGE ADAPTED FROM SAXONBURG VOLUNTEER FIRE COMPANY

LEARN ALL ABOUTFIREFIGHTER GEAR

HELMET

AIR MASK

TURNOUT COAT

AIR HOSE

FACE SHIELD

TURNOUT PANTS

REFLECTIVE STRIPES

GLOVES

AXE

BOOTS

FIRST AID KIT

ROPE

AIR TANK

WATER HOSE

NOZZLE

LEARN HOWTO MAKE A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN

• Draw a map of your home. Show all doors and windows.

• Visit each room. Find two ways out.

• All windows and doors should open easily. You should be able to use them to get outside.

• Make sure your home has smoke alarms. Push the test button to make sure each alarm is working.

• Pick a meeting place outside. It should be in front of your home or a neighbor’s house. Everyone will meet at the meeting place.

• Make sure your house or building number can be seen from the stret.

• Talk about your plan with everyone in your home.

• Learn the emergency phone number for your fire department.

• Practice your home fire escape drill!

• Make your own home fire escape plan on the next page.

YOUR PLANWILL LOOK LIKE THIS



CREATE YOURHOME FIRE ESCAPE PLAN

• Draw a floor plan or a map of your home. Show all doors and windows.

• Mark two ways out of each room.

• Mark all of the smoke alarms with (SA). Smoke alarms should be in each sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of the home.

• Pick a family meeting place outside where everyone can meet.

• Remember, practice your plan at least twice a year!


ESCAPE FIRES SAFELYTIPS FOR KIDS

An escape plan can help every member of your family get out of a burning house. The idea is to get outside quickly and safely. Smoke from a fire can make it hard to see where things are, so it’s important to learn and remember the different ways out of your home. How many exits are there? How do you get to them from your room? It’s a good idea to have your family draw a map of the escape plan.

It’s possible one way out could be blocked by fire or smoke, so you’ll want to know other escape routes too. And if you live in an apartment building, you’ll want to know the best way to the stairwell or other emergency exits.

Safety StepsIf you’re in a room with the door closed when the fire breaks out, you need to take a few extra steps:

• Check to see if there’s heat or smoke coming in the cracks around the door. (You’re checking to see if there’s fire on the other side.)

• If you see smoke coming under the door — don’t open the door!

• If you don’t see smoke — touch the door. If the door is hot or very warm — don’t open the door!

• If you don’t see smoke — and the door is not hot — then use your fingers to lightly touch the doorknob. If the doorknob is hot or very warm — don’t open the door!

• If the doorknob feels cool, you can open the door very carefully and slowly. If you feel a burst of heat, or smoke pours into the room, quickly shut the door. If there’s no smoke or heat when you open the door, go toward your escape route exit.

annarbor.com


Stay LowIf you can see smoke in the house, stay low to the ground as you make your way to the exit. You’ll breathe less smoke if you stay close to the ground.

Exiting through a door that leads outside should be your first choice as an escape route, but also ask your parents about windows and if they would be possible escape routes. Even windows on a higher floor could be safe escape routes if you had help, like from a firefighter or another adult.

Ask your parents to teach you how to unlock the windows, open them, and remove the screen, if needed. Make sure you only do this in an emergency!

In addition to planning your escape routes, you’ll also want to know where family members will meet outside. You might choose the front porch of a neighbor’s house or some other nearby spot.

It’s normal to worry about your pets or a favorite toy, but if there is a fire, you have to leave them behind. The most important thing is that you get out safely.

What if You Can’t Get Out Right Away?If you can’t get out fast, because fire or smoke is blocking an escape route, you’ll want to yell for help. You can do this from an open window or call 911 if you have a phone with you.

Even if you’re scared, never hide under the bed or in a closet. Then, firefighters will have a hard time finding you. Know that firefighters or other adults will be looking for you to help you out safely. The sooner they find you, the sooner you both can get out.

In the meanwhile, keep heat and smoke from getting through the door by blocking the cracks around the door with sheets, blankets, and/or clothing. If there is a window in the room that is not possible to escape from, open it wide and stand in front of it. If you can grab a piece of clothing or a towel, place it over your mouth to keep from breathing in the smoke. This works even better if you wet the cloth first.

sutphen.com

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FIRE ALERT MAGAZINE | Issue 1