March has been dubbed as Fire Prevention Month because most fire incidents happen during the summer month, but, if you ask me, this should be a monthly precaution for all households.
Based on stats in 2010 to 2011, the number of fire incidents all over the Philippines reached to 8271
where 6128 are classified accidental by the Bureau of Fire Prevention. More than 4,000 of those
happened in Metro Manila with almost one-third to one-half of those cases were
reported caused by electrical faulting.
Because of this it's a must that every household member are
reminded of ways on how to prevent the occurrence of fire. Below are some tips.
Important Home Fire Prevention Tips
Make sure all of
your family members/ colleagues are well-informed
Conduct fire drills in your home/
office and make an escape plan. Agree on a meeting place outside of the house/
building if evacuation is necessary. Ensure that everyone can recognize the
sound of the fire alarm.
Prioritize fire
safety device installment and maintenance
Check monthly if your smoke alarms
are working. Note that these detectors should be installed on the highest part
of every level of your home to determine just how grave the fire has become.
Change old electrical wires at home as they can also ignite
Be alert and take
necessary precautions
Make sure fire exits are open/ easy
to open in your home/ workplace. Keep a list of emergency numbers handy. Don't
leave candles or lit cigarettes unattended. Sleep with the bedroom doors closed
as this will prevent smoke from coming inside the room and reduce the risk of
suffocation.
Surviving An Actual
Fire: A Simple Home Safety Guide for Everyone
Surviving a fire
• Do not panic. Sound
the alarm or shout and get out of the burning house/building immediately. Report the fire by calling (or texting)
firefighting groups.
Test
doors before opening them. If the knob is hot, use alternative exits
• One can use windows
as alternative escape routes. If they're
too high from the ground, wait for firefighters to arrive with ladders.
Crawl
low under smoke
• There is more oxygen
at the bottom of a smoky room because it is denser than other gases emitted in
fires. It is thus safer to crawl 12
inches to 2 feet from the ground towards an exit.
If
your clothes catch fire, remember to stop, drop and roll
• Running around with
clothes on fire will inflame it all the more.
Instead, one must roll over to smother the flames and cover the face
while doing so.
I hope these tips are easy to remember, but, most all, I hope you will never be in a situation that you will need to use them...BE SAFE.
