Emergency Preparation Tips Part 2: Six Lesser Known Things You Need to Know About Fires
A couple of years ago, we published a post on emergency preparations in case of sudden floods. This week, in celebration of National Disaster Preparedness Month, we are publishing more emergency preparation tips to keep your family safe — this time, in case of fire.
You’ve probably heard all of the basic fire safety tips by now, so in this post, we are sharing six lesser known things that you need to know when dealing with fires.
Sometimes, heat is all it takes to start a fire.
Not all fires are triggered by a burning object getting in contact with flammable materials. Sometimes, an unusually high amount of heat is enough to trigger the spontaneous combustion of everyday materials commonly found in households. 1 Depending on the specific material and the particular circumstances surrounding the incident, spontaneous combustion may become triggered by temperatures 1,000 degrees Celsius and above, although cases when materials suddenly ignited on their own at around 40 degrees Celsius have also been recorded. Some examples of materials that are known to suddenly burn on their own are haystacks, rags soaked in different types of oils, dried cotton and linen, and fecal waste both from humans and animals.
Be careful in using or storing everyday items that can easily catch fire.
We think it’s safe to say that many people know that fabrics, papers, and wooden furniture can easily catch fire, but few are probably aware that there are everyday items that can trigger fires just as easily like the following:
- Naphthalene balls aka moth balls – Moth balls are those white, little balls that our moms keep inside drawers and cabinets to keep insects away. When left on their own, they are mostly harmless; however, they are highly flammable and can trigger a massive fire when they got into contact with burning materials.
- Aerosol sprays – Aerosol sprays usually come in the forms of perfume, hair sprays, deodorants, and spray paint. They contain a lot of compressed air that, when heated to a certain point, can suddenly explode and deliver a force strong enough to knock a little kid out. Worse, the compressed air can react with a nearby source of fire (like a lit cigarette or candle, for example) and cause serious burns to anyone nearby.
- Paints, nail polish, varnish, acetone, cleaning solvents – These common household items are highly flammable and can easily spread fire, especially when stored in large amounts.
- Household fuels like kerosene, butane (commonly found in lighter fluid), and propane (commonly used when grilling meat) are also highly flammable and can cause serious burns if it got into contact with skin and disorientation when the vapors are inhaled in large amounts.
More people die from inhaling the fumes during a fire than from the fire itself.
In a study on fatalities from fires in the United States, authorities found out that for every four people who died because of fire, three died from inhalation of fumes. This is because fires can produce poisonous gases that can make people disoriented and leave them unconscious in a matter of minutes, significantly decreasing their chances of escaping before help can arrive.
So what should you do in case you got caught up in a burning room filled with smoke? Experts advise people to get down on their knees and crawl on all fours. This is because smoke always goes upwards, so the smoke tends to be thinner near the floor. They advise against sticking too close to the floor, though, as certain gases tend to gather on the ground. If you’re going to attempt an escape by yourself, avoid opening windows and doors unless absolutely necessary as they can draw more air inside and add more fuel to the fire.2
Know what type of fire you are dealing with before you try to put it out.
When people try to put out a fire, the first thing that comes to their minds is getting a bucket of water and splashing it all over the source. While this usually works, it’s not always the case. There are actually particular cases where dousing fire with water can do more harm than good. 3 Good examples of these are fires that involve oil and electrical equipment. This is because, in the case of, say, a pan filled with oil catching fire, the water won’t mix with the oil and would immediately sink to the bottom of the pan before rapidly evaporating instead.
This, in turn, would push the burning oil out of the pan, scattering it everywhere — or in some cases — triggering a massive fireball. In the case of electrical equipment or appliances, not only will the water likely to cause more damage to the equipment’s electrical components, the electric current may also travel from the water to you — giving you an electric shock.
Know your fire extinguishers.
Fire extinguishers come in their iconic red color, but did you know that there are markings that indicate the contents of the fire extinguisher and its suitability to different types of fires? 4
- Red – Fire extinguishers marked with red labels contain water. These are sufficient to suppress fires caused by simple materials like alcohol, paper, wood, and other solid materials. Generally, it can also be used on burning electrical equipment, provided that the source of electricity has already been shut off.
- Blue – Fire extinguishers marked with blue contain powder. They are typically safe to use on live electrical equipment; however, they might not be able to penetrate the insides of equipment too well and might cause some clogging in the process.
- Cream – Fire extinguishers marked with cream-colored labels contain foam. They are typically used in fires that involve solids, wood, and fabrics. They are, however, not advisable for fires that involve electrical equipment and burning metal.
- Black – Fire extinguishers marked with black labels contain carbon dioxide. They are most effective for fires that involve liquids such as petroleum and gasoline as well as flammable gases like butane and propane. They are mostly ineffective against fires involving wood, paper, and fabrics.
- Green – Fire extinguishers marked with green labels contain vaporizing liquid and work well for liquids such as grease, fats, oils, paint, and petrol. They may not work so well on fires involving deep-sided pans, though.
For those who cannot find any fire extinguishers around, a bucket full of sand or a thick piece of blanket (preferably one previously doused in fire retardant) can also serve as a good alternative for relatively minor fires, especially those that involve live electrical equipment.
If you’ve got funds to spare, smoke detectors would be a good investment.
People usually think that the usefulness of smoke detectors is limited to detecting kitchen fires or those triggered by malfunctioning electrical equipment, and are only handy during times when we have to leave the house or too busy to notice minor incidents that can quickly spiral out of control.
In actuality, there are types of smoke detectors that can also detect the presence of colorless and odorless (but highly dangerous) gases that can be toxic to humans when inhaled, or can easily start a fire when a chemical reaction was triggered. 5 Some good examples of these types of gases are hydrogen and carbon monoxide — the latter being capable of incapacitating or killing someone in a matter of minutes.5
These are just some tips we’ve read over the years. Please do note that for expert advice, it’s always best to consult professionals.
Stay safe, everyone!
Glossary:
Flammable materials – materials that easily catch fire like paper, wood, and fabrics
Spontaneous combustion – when something suddenly bursts in flames without any visible trigger
Disorientation – a state where one might feel a little dizzy and find it difficult to concentrate
Fire-retardant – a chemical that is applied to things like fabrics, furniture, or even walls to make them less susceptible to catching fire
References:
Footnotes
1. Self Heating and Spontaneous Combustion
2. Surviving a Fire
3.Types of Fires
4.Types of Fire Extinguishers
5.Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
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