Fires

[AZ Prepper]

Facts about Fires

1. Fires are classified under four different fuels that can burn.[list:2y3zsdsj]Class A: Ordinary combustibles such as paper, cloth, wood, rubber, plastics, and many metals.

Class B: Flammable liquids (i.e., oils, gasoline, kitchen grease, paints, solvents, etc.) and combustible liquids (i.e. charcoal, lighter, kerosene, diesel fuel, etc.). These fuels burn only at the surface because oxygen cannot penetrate the depths of the fluid.

Class C: Electrical or energized equipment (i.e., wiring, fuse boxes, motors, power tools, appliances, televisions, computers, etc.).

Class D: Combustible metals (i.e., magnesium, and titanium).

2. To extinguish any of the above-mentioned fires you need the right extinguishing agent.

Type of fire - extinguishing agent (method)

A: Ordinary materials

• water or foam removes heat (removes air and heat)
• dry chemical (breaks chain reaction)

B: Flammable liquids

• foam or CO2 (removes oxygen)
• dry chemical or Halon (break chain reaction)

C: Electrical equipment

• CO2 (removes oxygen)
• dry chemical or Halon (breaks chain reaction)

D: Combustible metals

• special agents (usually remove the oxygen) -Do not attempt this. Let the professionals handle this.

3. It is extremely important to identify the correct type of extinguishing agent for the correct type of fire.

4. There are five main types of fire extinguishers: water, dry chemical, Halon, carbon dioxide and foam.

5. Fire extinguishers should be rated and approved by the State Fire Marshal and Underwriters’ Laboratories. They are rated according to their effectiveness on different classes of fires and their relative strength and capacity.

6. Hazardous materials cause a large threat in putting out a fire. Hazardous materials are any materials that explode or are easily ignited, corrode other materials, react adversely with water, are unstable when exposed to heat or shock, or are otherwise toxic to humans, animals, or the environment.

7. Hazardous materials include explosives, oxidizers, radioactive materials, corrosives, nonflammable gas, poisons, and poisonous gases, and flammable gas and liquids.

8. Hazardous materials in transit are required by law to be identified on all four sides of the vehicle by Department of Transportation (DOT), United Nations (UN), or North American (NA) diamond shaped warning placards. Each placard includes a color, symbol, name, and number, each of which indicated the type of hazard.

9. Stored hazardous materials are identified by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) diamond system of placards. These placards are located on the outside of buildings at the entrance to the storage area.

10. If you see one of these diamond shaped placards near a fire treat it as a stop sign and do not attempt to go near the fire to extinguish it or even render assistance. Let the professionals handle the situation.

11. Smoke contains harmful agents that can poison you or sear your lungs.

12. Fire requires three elements:

a. Heat The temperature at which a material produces vapor, and the temperature at which vapors will burn. Vapors will self ignite if the temperature is hot enough.

b. Fuel The fuel for a fire may be a solid, liquid, or gas. The type and quantity of the fuel will determine which method should be used to extinguish the fire.

c. Oxygen Fires will burn vigorously in any atmosphere of at least twenty percent oxygen. Without oxygen, fuel could be heated until entirely vaporized, and still not burn.

13. To put out a fire you need to remove the fuel source. Remove one or more of the three main elements and the fire will die. Remember remove it completely not just move it to one side because given the right circumstance it could ignite again.[/*:m:2y3zsdsj][/list:u:2y3zsdsj]

What to do to HELP PREVENT AND PREPARE FOR a Fire

1. Follow procedures for “General Emergency and Disaster Preparations”.

2. Locate potential fire hazards and reduce their likelihood.

a. Electrical hazards include:

1. The electrical octopus, avoid overloading electrical outlets.
2. Do not run electrical cords under carpets or tape down electrical cords in high traffic areas.
3. Replace broken or frayed electrical cords immediately.
4. Maintain electrical appliances regularly. Remove or replace malfunctioning appliances.

b. Natural gas hazards include:

1. asphyxiants which rob the body or oxygen.

2. It is explosive. Leaking gas pipes, valves, and connections can easily be ignited.

c. Flammable liquid hazards include:

1. many household products like gasoline, charcoal lighter, paint thinners, paint removers, air fresheners, deodorants, hair sprays, insecticides, furniture polish and other aerosols.

What to do DURING a Fire

1. Remain calm! Think through the consequences of all your actions.

2. Slowly head for the nearest exit.

3. Before opening any door feel the door to see if it is hot. If it is, there is most likely a fire behind it, so do NOT open it.

4. If you see or smell smoke stay low to the floor. That is where the purer air will be because the heat and smoke will raise toward to top of the room.

5. If you are trapped in a room filled with smoke and there is water in the room, dampen (do not soak) a towel, cloth, shirt, etc., and place it over your mouth and nose. The damp cloth will act as a temporary air filter.

6. Close all doors behind you to cut off air movement to the fire, but do NOT lock them. Someone else may need to use them.

7. If you are on the ground floor, try escaping through a window if all exits are unaccessible.

8. If you are trapped on an upper floor, do NOT try jumping out of a window. Rather, try to find something to use as a rope or ladder, such as knotting bed sheets or blankets together. Remember the sheet bend knot.

9. Turn off fans, air-conditioners, heating and cooling units.

10. Do not use elevators even if they appear to be working. Elevator shafts often act as chimney stacks for fires on lower floors.

11. If you think you can put out a small fire use whatever resources you might have on hand (i.e. fire extinguishers, wet stand-pipes, water hoses, buckets of water or sand, blankets, water from a swimming pool or spa, etc.).

a. Always keep you back towards your escape route and never towards the fire.

b. Remember when using waters hoses connected to wet stand-pipes you need to unravel the entire hose before tuning on the water. These water hoses are normally about 20 -40 feet long and can deliver up to 125 gallons of water per minute, which is enough to pin any unwary person against the wall.

c. When fighting a fire always chase it back to it’s origination while maintaining a safe distance. Work from unburned to burned.

d. Always have two ways to exit a fire area or any disaster scene.

e. Always work using a buddy system. Do not fight fires alone.

f. Use safety equipment (helmet, goggles, dust mask, leather work gloves, heavy shoes, and common sense, etc.)

g. Never get to close to a fire.

h. If you cannot fight the fire get out!

i. Shut off all utilities that might fuel the fire, if it is safe to do so.

j. Never enter a basement to turn off any utility.

12. If you or your clothing get caught on fire: STOP, DROP and ROLL to put out the flames.

This information was taken by permission from the author of, "Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response" by Kenneth Moravec. This booklet (very highly recommended) can be purchased for a very low cost by contacting the author at: Kenneth Moravec - MoravecKennethB@aol.com - (801) 492-9029