Practice Fire Safety in
the Home
If
you have a fire in your home, get out and stay out, and call 911 from a
neighbor's house.
Exit
Drills In The Home (EDITH)
To escape a house on fire; first
maintain working smoke alarms in your home, and second; have a plan in which to
escape your home in case of fire. EDITH is very important along with having
working smoke alarms. Once a smoke alarm goes off in your home, members of your
household along with yourself should react, by using your preplanned escape
route to exit safely from a fire. Use the following steps to develop your
escape plan.
Plan your escape.
Draw a simple floor plan of your
home, showing two ways out of each room.
Ensure all household members
understand the escape routes from the plan.
Make sure routes are clear, and that
the doors and windows on the route can be opened properly.
Crawl while using your escape route,
it is safer because heat and smoke rise in a fire
Practice your escape plan at least
twice a year with your household members and test your smoke
alarms monthly while checking the batteries twice a year (A tip to
remember is: change your clock, change your batteries).
Agree on a meeting place outside
where everyone can meet after exiting the home. (This will allow for a
head count and allow the arriving fire fighters to gain information about
possible missing members, and the fire inside.)
Remember; People who live in an
apartment building should use the stairways and NOT the elevator to escape to
the outside. Some high-rise buildings may use a "defend in place"
plan dependent on the fire location. Know your escape plan before a fire
happens.
Fire Safety in the Kitchen
Kitchens are the No. 1 source of
home fires, and unattended cooking is the No. 1 cause. Moreover, children under
5 are at an increased risk of sustaining non-fire burns from cooking
activities. (grease, boiling water)
Cooking Tips for Fire
Safety
Don't leave the kitchen with
something cooking on the stove;
Don't cook if you are drowsy or
feeling the effects of alcohol, medication or other drugs;
Roll up your sleeves and don't wear
loose fitting clothing. If your clothes catch on fire, stop, drop and roll
until the fire is out
Clean cooking equipment regularly to
remove grease or cooking materials that can ignite;
Keep pot pot and pan handles from
extending beyond the edge of the stove so children won't bump of pull them
off
Extinguishing Grease Fires
Built up grease catches fire easily.
Wipe appliance surfaces after spills and clean stove surfaces, ovens and
appliances regularly. An appropriate sized lid should be kept near the stove to
cover and smother any grease fire contained in a pan. Baking soda can also be
used. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire.
Smoke
Alarm Information
- Smoke
alarms should be installed in every room of your home except the kitchen.
- Test
your batteries once every six months, and replace your alarm every ten
years, or immediately if it becomes defective.
Carbon Monoxide Alarm
What is Carbon
Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is a colorless,
odorless, tasteless and toxic gas. It is produced as a by- product of
combustion. (Combustion refers to a heat producing, chemical reaction between
some substance and oxygen) Carbon monoxide is abbreviated as "CO".
What produces Carbon
Monoxide?
Carbon monoxide is produced by gas
or oil home appliances and also fireplaces, wood burning stoves, and
automobiles; through the exhaust.
Why is Carbon Monoxide
dangerous?
Carbon monoxide is dangerous because
it displaces oxygen in the body needed for life.
If appliances are improperly vented,
Carbon monoxide levels could build up and poison occupants.
Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide
poisoning, which are similar to the flu, are headache, dizziness, fatigue and
nausea. Protect yourself and your family from the threat of carbon monoxide
poisoning by:
- Install a CO alarm with an audible alarm near sleeping
areas.
- Maintain and inspect gas fired home appliances for
proper venting.
- Do NOT start an automobile in a closed attached garage.
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers used properly can
be effective against small fires. There are certain conditions that you must
follow before attempting to use an extinguisher:
- First, know how to use the fire extinguisher
before an emergency. There is no time to try to read the instructions
on its use during a fire.
- Alert someone to call 911 to alert the
fire department. Depending on your occupancy, alerting others
may be done by pulling a local alarm box if you have
this type of alarm system.
- Make sure you have the right fire extinguisher
for the class of fire, and that you have an exit to your back
in which to escape. DON’T put a fire between
you and an exit in which to escape.
- Use the “PASS” word as a reminder for using the
fire extinguisher:
- Pull the pin out (this will break the
plastic seal used to hold the pin in).
- Aim at the base of the fire with the
nozzle, or hose.
- Squeeze the levers together to discharge
the extinguisher.
- Sweep the fire from side to side while
aiming at the base of the fire.
The Classes of Fires
- Class A: Ordinary combustibles such as wood,
cloth, and paper.
- Class B: Flammable liquids such as gasoline,
kerosene, oil, and oil-based paint.
- Class C: Energized electrical equipment such as a
TV, computer, stereo, etc.
- Class D: Combustible metals such as magnesium.
Basic Types of Fire
Extinguishers
- ABC Dry Chemical: Multipurpose
type, useful for class A, B, and C fires.
- Carbon Dioxide: Useful on class B and
class C fires
- Water: Used only on class A fires
- ABC Dry Chemical: Fire extinguishers
are the best type to purchase for the home.
FIRE
PLAY: When a Child’s Curiosity Can Kill
The Fire Related Youth services or
(FRY) of the Rochester Fire Department was developed to deal with a very
serious concern; fires involving youths. At least 40% of all set fires involve
youngsters, and 65% of those are caused by children between 5 & 9 years old
experimenting with matches & lighters.
The real problem is that curiosity about fire is a very normal part of growing
up, especially for boys between 5 & 9. Normal, though does not mean “okay”.
Most fires caused by children occur at home, where there is most danger to
lives & property, even when adults are on hand. Only auto accidents injure
more kids than fires.
The Rochester’s Fire Departments Fire Related Youth services can HELP! Trained
firefighter investigators experienced with youngsters, and fire educational
teaching skills welcome the chance to talk to any child, and/or family in need.
FRY’s goal is to educate through intervention, and NOT punish. FRY has a 94%
success rate with first time fire offenders. FRY’s education intervention is
not just an individual contact, but an involvement with the entire family of
those affected.
Discuss fire safety in your home with your family. Ensure your home has a
working smoke alarm to help protect you against the threat of fire. Teach your
family the dangers of fire, and how to escape your home if fire should occur.
Also, KEEP MATCHES & LIGHTERS OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN! Set
a good example by taking special care when using them. Children learn best by
imitating the adults around them.
If you need any further information, or help with this topic, please call the
Fire Related Youth services department at (585) 428-7103. To
receive additional fire safety information related to other topics, contact the
Fire Department’s Community Outreach Unit at (585) 428-1362. We
have various pamphlets available, and firefighters to answer your questions.
Additional information about
juvenile fire setting may be found
at this website.
911 and it's Use
911 is the emergency number to call
in the Rochester area. 911 is for any emergency, and can be used to receive
help from either the fire department, police department, or ambulance. Children
should be taught the emergency number 911, and when to use it.
When teaching children about 911, they should be made aware of it’s importance.
911 is for emergencies only, and not for prank calls. Prank calls to 911 unduly
tax the 911 system, and may cause a delay to someone who may really need help.
A common mistake by Rochester area children with 911 is confusing it with the police
non-emergency number 311. 311 is not an emergency number, and is used for
non-emergency police service. Another common mistake small children make with
911 is believing that the "11" part of 911 is actually an eleven.
Children should understand that a "1" must be pressed twice.
When dialing 911, the caller should be ready with some important information to
relay to the emergency operator. This should include the callers name, address,
phone number, and the nature of the emergency. Children should be reminded that
if they have a fire in their home, they should get out and call 911 from a
neighbor’s house or a nearby pay phone. Remember, 911 calls made on a pay phone
are free.
If you have a fire, get out and stay out, and call 911 from a neighbors house.
To receive additional fire safety information related to other topics. Contact
the Fire Department’s Community Outreach Unit at (585) 428-1362.
House Numbering and its
Importance
In the event of an emergency, are
your home or business address numbers visible to emergency responders? Help the
Rochester Fire & Police Department, along with the ambulance find your
address quickly. By ensuring your home or business have its numbers posted, and
that they are clearly visible from the street.
As a reference, Rochester
City Code Chapter 61 outlines specific requirements for house
numbering in the City of Rochester. Follow these general hints to help ensure
your numbers are visible:
- Use numbers at least 4 inches high.
- Use numbers that contrast the color of your home or
business.
- Ensure that trees or shrubs do not block the view of
your numbers; trim back as necessary.
- Provide lighting to numbers during evening hours to
ensure visibility.
- Check to see if your numbers are indeed visible, by
viewing them from the middle of your street.