Family Pre-Disaster Manual: Chapter 3 and Fire

FAMILY DISASTER NETWORK (FDN)

DISASTER MANUAL (FDN-DMAN)  www.amazon.com/author/redbecker 

CHAPTER THREE–Scenario Solutions  familydisasternet@gmail.com

How to Survive each Scenario

LESSON 17-FIRE EVACUATIONS: In the previous chapter we covered fire safety and prevention. In this section we will cover more on fires and properly evacuating them. If you have used your lessons properly, then FEMA, the Red Cross and other NGOs won’t have to spend as many disaster relief dollars since you pre-prepared and mitigated your family and assets.

If you are remodeling your home or buying a new one or changing your landscaping, then you should have your landscaping consistent with regional natural landscapes. If you live in a desert plateau, in the Southwest, then have a desert landscape. Also have a non-potable well that can water your yard as well becoming a minor fire hydrant for your yard and have fire breaks and a 360 degree sprinklers for your roof.

First ensure that you have taken all proper precautions from the previous section, then you are ready to prepare for evacuations. Check the website www.iii.org for the Insurance Information Institute.

Creating an evacuation plan for your home can be a simple one, but it must involve all members of your family or household. All of you must review and most importantly PRACTICE your evacuation plan on a quarterly basis for the first week of January, April, July and October.

“In 2008, U.S. Fire Departments responded to 64,100 house fires that involved in home heating equipment. There were 540 fire deaths, 1400 injuries and $943 million in damages. Home equipment fires were down 16% and home fire deaths were down 21%. Remember to keep extension cords three feet away from any combustible materials and that all electrical items have the ‘UL Code Tested’ tag. Remember that only one power strip or extension cord can be plugged into one (1)-two (2) plug outlet.” Enid, OK, News and Eagle, December 17, 2009. (Debbie is from Enid.)

To create a fire evacuation plan for your home, first draw a simple floor plan including all rooms. It doesn't have to be to scale but should be close. If the living room is the largest room and there are three about equal size bedrooms more square and half as small, then your floor plan should realize these dimensions.

There should be at least two evacuation plans to get out of your home and even a plan to escape if those are blocked by fire, or debris, then escape out of windows. Second or third story windows should have portable hanging escape ladders. If you're in a large building, consult the evacuation plan or ask the management for information. Apartment, hotel and other complexes are required to display the evacuation plan with the closest and all evacuation routes out of the building.

If you have to evacuate, crawl on the floor where the air is better. If you can’t get the fire out in a minute or less on the inside of a building then GET OUT!!

Every household member should know what to do no matter where the fire breaks out. For fires to thrive they need Fuel, Oxygen, and Heat. Take one away and they die. Recheck Scenarios One and Two on page 24 and the 20 questions on page 63 for fullest review.

WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF A FIRE: The RACE method says to Rescue, Alarm, Control, and Evacuate/Extinguish. I say Rescue other lives and alarm at the same time. All fires are to be to be reported to the fire department even though you got it out. Have extinguishers in the kitchen or work shop and check them annually by a professional. They can lose their charge. Baking soda can get rid of some small stove fires. Test the smoke and fire alarms monthly and replace the batteries when it's time to fall back and spring forward.

LIFE CYCLE OF A FIRE: A small or smoldering fire can expand to a whole room in 10 minutes depending on the materials. A fire will climb a wall, shoot across a ceiling, then go back down the wall until it has to find more fuel and air. This is called the flashback. Flashbacks are also caused by opening the doors and the fire vacuums to another room. Feel doors for hotness with the back of your hand before opening them. From CVFD Fire Chief P.—FDN call sign Phoenix Five—he says to use the back of your hand, not the palm, because the palm is harder to heal and you will need your palm to grip items.

If you or someone else catches on fire, then roll on the ground or cover with a blanket to smother the flames. See how to take care of burns on page 37 and more First Aid is in Chapter Two.

GRASS/SHRUB/FOREST FIRES: They start due to extended dry conditions, some fires are caused by lightning, but most of these fires are caused by HUMAN STUPIDITY and carelessness from smoking, fireplace ashes, and campfires. Follow all fire or Forest Service regulations for low or no burn time frames. Douse all campfire ashes, and let fireplaces ashes cool down for 48 hours in a metal container. Many fires start due to lack of proper cool down from ashes.

How to prepare: If you live or work in a brush fire risk area and as a member of FDN, then you will already have 14 day kits ready and important documents covered. When there are dry spells or an imminent danger of grass/brush/forest fires, then you must do a preparatory evacuation by finishing your survival to a month level status (kitchen and bathroom kits). When there is over two hours evacuation time, then grab your priceless heirlooms, family pictures, those items you couldn't replace, etc., and other items to a safe area out of harm’s way, use family or friends home or a secure storage that is not in a fire, flood, or high crime area. See on Recap on Evacuations on page 28 and see Annexes in Chapter 9. Review Chapter One.

BRUSH FIRE PREVENTION-ZONING: Many cities, including Colorado Springs, have ordinances for developments that are in a high fire risk zone (brush, oak scrub, forests) and obey these. Contact your local zoning for actual ordinance and rules or covenants.

One city, Colorado Springs (1991), has an ordinance with the following. Any new or replacement roofing must be graded Class C (tile, certain grades of asphalt, pressure treated shake), fire retardant siding, no branches over roofs, no brush and vegetation within several feet (10 foot or more firebreak) away from house. Some sites must have monitored fire alarm systems and interior sprinkler systems.

More fire protection and mitigation for these areas. Also drill a non-potable well, with a sign that states, “NON-POTABLE WATER—DO NOT DRINK”, that can water your yard as well becoming a minor fire hydrant for your yard, to water fire breaks and to have a few 360 degree sprinklers for your roof. Have a small solar power or backup battery system to run system if you have evacuated your property and need to keep the water pump running.

I would play it safe and extend/enhance beyond all codes. If you can delay a brush fire from reaching your house for two hours, then you can escape and evacuate properly. The fire department might be able to save your home. Develop a full evacuation plan, with two or more escape routes (streets), and two meeting places. One place should be a house or two away from your home and the other should be a mile or more away just in case the evacuation calls for a larger area. Remember to use your two-way radios.

California and other southwestern states that have dry zone brush and forest fire seasons wind up losing their native grass, bushes and brush. Then the next month the rain season starts and then massive mud slides start and even more damage occurs. To help mitigate mud slides have T-type concrete or timber walls constructed on your property.

My sentiment is that is if you don’t belong to FDN and you have not covered all your assets and items properly by using this Manual, then you should be ready to lose everything and then not be able to move back to that area on the hill with the great view. In a few years (FY2017) FEMA, Insurance Companies and other NGOs may not be able to help you anymore.

So either you are on your own and take full responsibility for your actions (or lack thereof) or you join FDN and do all the full mitigation levels prior to disasters and evacuations.

These paragraphs are also for those in Hurricane Zones, Tornado Alley, Fire and Flood Zones and other disaster alleys. Remember that you are someone else to the other person. So it can happen to you.