LESSON 12–FIRE SAFETY AND PREVENTIONS: The key to surviving a fire is preventing one from happening
in the first place. Most fires are the result of carelessness and start with over loaded or faulty electrical outlets or
appliances, fireplace or barbecue sparks or ashes and irresponsible smoking habits.
The rules for electrical outlet safety are firstly DO NOT OVERLOAD PLUG-INS! Any building over 20 years old
should be checked by an electrician for current codes. Keep water, papers or other flammable or conductors
from outlet. Check appliance and extension cords for frayed or exposed wires. Never overload the amperage with
too many plug-ins. Check the amperage load on your extension cord and breaker box.
Older systems such as 100 amp fuse boxes can't hold multiple uses on one circuit. Use no more that six (6)
plug-ins for each double wall plug or ONE (1)- six (6) plug POWER STRIP per one double wall plug.
Never use two POWER STRIPS on one double wall plug. Remember that most modern (1970-1990)
household wiring is 15 amps with a 150 amp breaker box. Most houses built after 1990 should have a 200 to
400 amp breaker box. There are 20, 30 and 50 amp circuits for the A/C, furnace, stoves, workshops, theater
systems, home offices, recreation rooms, washer and dryers, kitchen with wet bar somewhere else and other
uses.
If you still use fuses, then be extra careful with extension cords and plug-ins. Only use the correct replacement
fuse, never go with a larger amp load, you can start a fire inside the wiring of your walls, such as a 20 inside a
10 amp. Ask an electrical clerk at a home supply store about any fuse or extension questions. Always check
the surge watts and amp load and make sure that electronics and appliances are UL® tested.
#*# CLEAN AND SERVICE HEATING SYSTEMS AND FURNACES ANNUALLY! Check for an emergency
shut off switch. Change your furnace filters monthly. THIS SAVES ENERGY AND OVERLOADS. Never use
space heaters as a first heating source.
OTHER FIRE SAFETY TIPS: Never smoke somewhere you could fall asleep or are using flammable liquids or gases.
Teach children not to play with matches, keep matches and lighters away from children, etc. Install spark arresters
on your chimney. Keep grills or heaters away from flammable substances. Have a separate metal can for ashes to
cool for 48 hours before disposing. Fireproof the outside of your home also. Clear weeds and brush by creating a
minimum 10 feet wide fire break. Keep firewood also 10 feet away.
GRASS/SHRUB/FOREST FIRES: These types of fires are caused due to a variety of reasons extended dry
conditions, lightning and all to often, HUMAN STUPIDITY. Many cities have ordinances for building in a high risk fire
zone (brush, oak scrub, forests). Call your local zoning officials for the ordinance and rules and covenants in your
area. Follow all fire code or Forest Service regulations during 'high' or 'no burn' time frames. Completely douse all
camp fires and let ashes cool down for a minimum of 48 hours in a metal container.
If you can delay a brush fire from reaching your home for at least two hours, then you can escape and evacuate
properly. Have a manual well on your property with solar power or a small windmill to indoor brown water and outdoor
irrigation systems. If you can use your manual sprinkler to water your roof and the close in areas in a 360 degree path,
then this will help the fire department a better chance to save your home. Or you can save brown water or rain water
in a 500 gallon container to use to water your garden, bushes and finally to protect your structures during a fire
threat.
If you have seen the usual hot spot brush fires in California, or the Boulder, CO forest fire that destroyed over
100 rural homes, including a lot of the firefighter’s homes, or you have see the big gas explosions with a 600
foot radius that was south of San Francisco or even the over 20 house fires in Detroit that was fueled by high
winds; then these events all took place within a three day period in early September 2010.
SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO ME?? It means definitely get your kits together so that you have a surviving
chance to save many of your priceless heirlooms and maybe save your home. Also, see page 42 for Brush Fire
Zoning and page 25 for Scenario Three.
DO, DO, DO... Have several extinguishers available for each floor and garage, smoke detectors on all floors,
and set up an evacuation plan on page 28 and we will help you for all evacuation plans.
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 fire questions on page 63 for fullest review.
WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF A FIRE: The RACE method says to Rescue, Alarm, Control, and Extinguish/Evacuate.
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. Practice your home escape plan on the first week of January, April, July and October.
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 a door and the fire vacuums into
another room.
Feel doors for hotness using the back of your hand before opening them, not the palm. You will need your
palms for gripping and your palms are harder to heal [From the CVFD Fire Chief P.–FDN Call sign Phoenix Five].
Have wet towels if possible to cover your faces and hands. Crawl on the floor and meet a pre-arraigned place
using your two-way radios.
Have extinguishers in the kitchen or shop, check them annually by a professional. They can lose their charge.
Baking soda can get rid of some small stove fires. Test the alarms monthly and replace the batteries when ifs time
to fall back and spring forward. If you have to evacuate, crawl on the floor where the air is better. Practice this
blindfolded each quarter. If you can't get the fire out in a minute or less on the inside of a building then GET
OUT!! Have portable ladders for upper windows to escape out of bedrooms or other rooms.
If you or someone else catches on fire, then roll on the ground or cover with a blanket to smother the flames.
See First Aid next to take care of burns.
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