Fall Fire Safety Tips and Tricks: Stay Cozy!
- Field Service Management
- 9 Min Read
Fires can happen anytime but occur more frequently during the fall and winter. In these months, fire hazards in your home or business stem largely from heating the space. According to the American Red Cross, there was even a drastic increase in US house fires during this time.
This blog will explore simple yet essential fall fire safety tips tailored for the autumn season and bring fire safety to your home to remain safe and snug throughout the festivities. Let’s dive in and make this fall, fire safe and enjoyable!
Here's What We Cover:
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1. 5 Safety Measures to Take When There is a Fire1. 5 Safety Measures to Take When There is a Fire
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2. Here's How You Can Start Developing A Fire Safety Plan At Your Home2. Here's How You Can Start Developing A Fire Safety Plan At Your Home
5 Safety Measures to Take When There is a Fire
As per the NFPA, the primary reasons behind fires in commercial buildings are usually:
Cooking Equipment
Heating Equipment
Electrical and Lighting Equipment
Smoking Materials
Arson
Let’s look at some fire prevention techniques that you can incorporate to protect yourself from fire hazards.
1. Avoid Clutter
Clutter can quickly turn into fire fuel, making it essential to keep your surroundings tidy and free of combustible waste. This waste includes cardboard boxes, paper, debris, yard trimmings, and fallen trees. Fire laws strictly prohibit keeping these items around except in designated disposal areas. If not properly handled, this clutter can pose a severe fire hazard for your building.
Additionally, having clutter around can block exits and evacuation routes. It can also make it harder for firefighters to do their job during a fire emergency. Owners should ensure the building is free from obstructions and keep hallways clear for safety reasons.
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2. Be Aware of Ignition Sources
Various items can increase the risk of fires; these ignition sources include heaters, lamps, and other objects that can become hot or produce flames, such as exposed cords or electrical outlets. Other things that can lead to open flames include matches, cigars, cigarettes, signal markers, flaming food or drinks in restaurants, decorative devices, candles, lanterns, gas heaters, and barbecue pits.
3. Avoid Overloading Circuits and Extension Cords
In many office buildings and commercial spaces, there are often lots of cords because of the many electronic devices like computers, printers, and monitors. This can lead to overcrowded outlets. Especially in the fall, when portable heaters might be added, there could be even more cords, which increases the risk of overheating.
To prevent this, property owners should advise people to ensure plugs fit securely into outlets and avoid loose connections. Loose connections can cause overheating and potentially start a fire.
4. Have the Correct Safety Equipment
Building owners should ensure that appropriate safety equipment is provided for the property. They should also always be on the lookout for fire-prone situations and be prepared if one ever happens. They can do this by first following the simple steps of checking their smoke alarms, replacing their batteries, and checking if their extinguishers are in working condition.
5. Regular Inspections and Testing
You should regularly conduct inspections and test your fire alarm systems to keep people safe from any situations. The NFPA 72 regulations state that residents are allowed to inspect their systems and are advised to do them on a half-yearly basis.
Here's How You Can Start Developing A Fire Safety Plan At Your Home
Most safety tips are the same throughout the year, but here are some fall fire safety tips for children and families to make them aware of before experiencing the season’s first cold snap.
Home Heating Hazards
Home heating can cause fires through various mechanisms, primarily due to malfunctioning equipment, human error, or neglect.
For central heating systems, it’s a good idea to have a professional check them once a year. This is especially important for gas heaters, where working carbon monoxide alarms are crucial. Test smoke detectors monthly to ensure they’re working. Also, keep anything flammable away from your furnace to avoid accidents.
Enhance fireplace safety by using screens or glass doors to contain sparks and hot ash. Contain furnace and chimney fires using a fireplace screen as they produce toxic fumes harmful to inhalation. Only burn seasoned wood in your fireplace or woodstove and avoid overloading it with too much wood. DON’T LEAVE FIRE UNATTENDED!
If you’re using space heaters, remember to keep them at least three feet away from anything that could catch fire. Don’t use them to dry clothes; always remember to turn them off when you’re not using them or going to sleep. And, of course, keep anything flammable away from the heaters to reduce the risk of fire.
These simple precautions can help keep your home safe and prevent fires during the colder months.
Replace Batteries in Smoke Alarms & Locate Fire Extinguishers
When you set your clocks back for summer, it’s a good time to check your home’s safety systems. Replace the batteries in all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Keep your fire extinguisher fully charged and in its original place. If you don’t have one, consider buying one.
Remember to:
Change batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
Test smoke detectors monthly to ensure they’re working.
Check that all fire extinguishers are charged and working.
Have enough smoke detectors in your home.
Make sure everyone knows how to use a fire extinguisher.
How to Store Combustible Waste
It’s not feasible to believe that you can always keep any type of combustible waste away from your personal property. Hence, a simple solution can be to store such materials before you find a proper outlet to dispose of them safely.
Property owners should:
Keep storage containers away from the building.
Storage containers near facilities shouldn’t contain oily rags or other unsafe materials without proper container identifications.
Store flammable liquids in an approved flammable storage cabinet. Various commercially manufactured cabinets are available. Cabinets must be listed with UL1275 and labeled “Flammable—Keep Fire Away.”
You must use lids on containers 40 gallons or more significant.
Keep containers exceeding a capacity of 40.5 cubic feet outdoors and over five feet away from construction work.
Keep extra wood and other flammable materials at least five feet from the fireplace.
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How to Treat a Burn
In case of a painful burn, it’s essential to take immediate action and follow these steps recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology Association:
The best first step to handling a burn and cooling it down is to put your hand under a tap of cool water or apply cold compressing clothes to your hand for about 10 minutes or until the pain decreases from the burn.
The affected spot on your skin needs to be applied with petroleum jelly about two to three times every day. There are other materials that people would suggest applying on the burn, like ointments, butter, or toothpaste, but these are not good for burnt skin and could cause infections.
Cover the burn with a nonstick, sterile bandage. If blisters develop, allow them to heal naturally while ensuring the area remains covered. Avoid popping the blisters.
If the burn’s pain is too much to bear, you must take some medication that doesn’t need to be prescribed, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen, which can help reduce some of the pain and inflammation.
Shield the healed burn from the sun’s rays. Use shade, protective clothing, or a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher to prevent sun exposure. This is particularly important as burn-related redness can persist for weeks, especially in individuals with darker skin tones, and proper protection can help minimize scarring.
Are you unsure if other fire risks may lurk at your home or business? We’re here to help.
Contact us at ZenFire to help you schedule a recurring inspection and keep your surroundings fire-safe. Or you can just come over to read other blog posts about how you can be prepared for just about any fire emergency.
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