Freshen Up Your Home Fire Protection For 2020

Well it’s the start of another decade and with that milestone comes the real need for many of us to resolve to make improvements in our lives. Most often those improvements are focused on health, which is very wise, but we also hope that you will consider focussing on fire safety in the home with a New Years fire protection freshen up!

One of the very first things you should do is make sure your smoke alarms are working! The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has found that three out of five home fire deaths are a result from fires in properties that did not have working smoke alarms. If you need some guidance on how to test your smoke alarms we would be only too happy to help. Remember to test your smoke alarms once a month! This is critical!! You also need to understand the many types of alarms and what they do, as all fires are different. 
All smoke alarms have a shelf-life. Check the installation and manufacturing dates on your smoke alarms – they need to be replaced every 10 years!
If you remove the battery in your smoke alarm for whatever reason REPLACE IT!!. Disabling a smoke alarm or removing the battery can be a FATAL mistake.
Cooking is one of the main causes of home fires year after year. Have a fire blanket fixed to an easy accessible place as well as investigating the purchase of an approved fire extinguisher CO2 or DRY CHEMICAL. N.B. Don’t use a water extinguisher with a fat fire.. I know this has been mentioned many times before but it is vital the message sinks in “Never leave cooking food unattended, turn the handles of pots and pans on stoves inward to avoid accidents, and be sure to make sure your sleeves (or other loose fitting clothing) are out of the way while cooking”.
This should be a no brainer but surprisingly more and more fires are getting attributed to this failing, so please “Don’t use appliances with frayed cords or with outdated wiring”.
Don’t place curtains, clothing, rugs, furniture, and other combustible surfaces too close (within three feet of) possible ignition sources, such as naked flames, stoves and stove tops, heaters etc. Make a fire escape plan with your family and practice that plan at least twice a year. Remember to teach your kids basic fire safety tips, like staying as low to the ground as possible, touching a door to see if it’s hot before grabbing the doorknob, and knowing at least two ways out of every room in case of an emergency.
We hope that you find these tips helpful and that you will incorporate them in your 2020 resolutions. From all of us at Complete Pumps and Fire, we wish you and yours a safe and Happy New Year!

Yours In Fire Safety

Alex

Is history repeating itself?

“They say the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over again but expect a different result”

“The real shock in Canberra’s residents, when fire hit this city, was the distance the fire travelled into the suburbs and the speed with which it moved. In the end we had less than an hour from the time it hit suburbs several kilometres away until it was on our doorstep. By that time it was pitch dark as the power had gone, the radio had stopped and the phone was only just holding out. (Not many mobiles back in those days) One forgets that infra-structure is one of the first casualties of a big blaze.

Know where the safe refuges are in your area and have a map in case you get lost. Go over the escape route and practice it with any family members, particularly children. People were trapped in their homes during this particular event because they took refuge in bathrooms, swimming pools and under their houses. None of these saved their lives.

After severe drought that had inundated the area for many years, the conditions were perfect for what took place soon after.

The Australian climate is harsh and anything can happen and usually does but staring down the approaching fire on that day was something the residents will never forget. For about a week beforehand the smoke was clearly visible in the south-west. It certainly did not look threatening. While in the Namadgi National Park it was too far away and inaccessible for many of us to worry about.

But the strong south-westerly wind that arrived soon after the sun rose on that particular day rapidly pushed the fire into many new areas as the embers went flying for several kilometres at a time. They hit the fuel lying ready to explode into flame on the ground and the explosive fireball quickly extended upwards into the canopy of the eucalyptus forest that surrounds the bush capital.

On reaching the suburbs uncleared gutters, old wooden fences and inappropriate plantings in gardens added to the risks as they burst into flames. Fences readily caught alight and led the fire straight to the eaves and the gas pipes with plastic seals. One man told of how he watched the gas escape and send the fire into his roof as he stood by watching the house subsequently burn to the ground.

Those fires of 2003 took human and animal lives while the suffering of surviving animals touched everyone. The symbol of that day became a badly burned koala that was constantly featured on the news as she slowly recovered from her painful wounds. The catchment areas around the dams supplying drinking water were polluted with dead animals and other debris and for up to a year afterwards we used filters for tap water.

That year events started a new run of several more seasons of drought and fires throughout Australia in which thousands more eventually lost their homes, livestock and all too often their lives. Four years later the drought ended with massive floods, an inland tsunami, and entire cities and towns inundated with water. People and animals died and homes were once again destroyed.

Stock losses and the destruction of agriculture that this country has suffered over the last ten years is repeated in other parts of the world as climate change takes hold. This is a stark reminder of what will continue to happen unless governments, people and property are better prepared and take appropriate steps to meet the challenges ahead.

My view of the world is that we can’t change what is happening but we may wake some people up to the fact that they can change their lifestyles and help the environment before it is too late.” – Norma Holt

A sobering reminder of just what can happen in an instant!

Stay safe where ever you may be this fire season..

Alex

Kitchen Fire Incidents

Simple Fire Prevention for the Kitchen

DID YOU KNOW kitchen fire incidents are still the biggest cause of house fires in NSW?Kitchens are a natural place for fires to start: you are already working with open flames or very high heat. Take extra precautions to prevent fires.

Preventing Kitchen Fires

The number one cause of kitchen fires is unattended cooking. When cooking anything on top of the stove, or in the oven, stay with it. For long-cooking dishes, plan activities you can do in the kitchen, such as cleaning or preparing other dishes. If “kitchen activities” don’t come to mind, consider reading, writing, chatting with family or friends, or even reading a story to the kids. All of these can keep you happily and productively occupied while keeping an eye on what is being cooked.

If you cannot or don’t want to stay in the kitchen:

1. Check frequently on food that is cooking,
2. Have a working smoke alarm installed where it can warn of potential fire.
3. Keep a fire extinguisher and/or fire blanket within easy reach.

Kitchens can be very active places, especially when meals are being prepared. These basic tips can increase your safety:

1. Wear short-sleeve, close fitting clothing when cooking. Loose clothing can more easily catch fire.
2. Watch children closely in the kitchen. Teach them fire safety and proper handling of tools to prevent burns, cuts, or other injuries. Do this before you teach them to cook. Stay with children for every step as they are learning ot cook. Reinforce and praise their safety skills.
3. Grease can accumulate quickly in the kitchen. Grease fires can quickly spread to the entire kitchen. Clean your cooking surfaces and counters frequently to prevent food and grease build-up. Ideally this should be done immediately after cooking, or during clean-up after each meal.
4. Keep flammable materials, such as curtains, towels, pot holders, plastic or paper bags, away form cooking surfaces.
5. Store all solvents and flammable cleaners well away from all heat sources. Never keep gasoline or kerosene in the house, especially not in the kitchen.
6. While cooking, make sure pan handles are turned away from the front of the stove so that no one will accidentally bump them. Boiling water or hot grease thrown from a jostled pan can cause severe burns. Keep the area in front of the stove clear and calm while cooking.

Putting out a fire

Even with the greatest care, you may someday have to put out a kitchen fire.

First, assess the danger. If the fire has spread beyond the oven or a pan, call the fire department right away. In most locations, you can call 000 and they will transfer you to the needed service.

If the fire is small and contained, as in food flaming in a pan, these tips may help:

1. Slide a pan lid over a grease or oil fire to smother flames. Turn off the heat. Watch carefully to make sure the fire is not spreading somewhere unexpected. Leave the lid in place until it cools. Once the fire is completely out and everything is cool, thoroughly clean everything that was involved in the fire, especially the stove top or oven. If the flame got outside of a pan, you will need to decide whether there was any damage that must be repaired before you can cook again. Caution: Never attempt to carry a flaming pan outside. Doing this increases your risk of spreading the fire and of being burned.
2. Keep a large box of baking soda on hand. Aside from its other uses, you can pour baking soda over most small food fires to extinguish the flames.
3. Never use water or flour to put out fires. Water added to a grease fire reacts violently, sending hot grease everywhere. This spreads the fire and increases your chance of being burned. Flour can have a similar effect. Water poured on flames can also get into electrical circuits in the stove or oven, which can complicate the situation and increase the danger.
4. If a fire occurs in your oven, keep the door shut and turn off the heat. This will usually smother the flames without further risk.
5. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen. There are several types of extinguishers, each designed for use with specific kinds of fire. Make sure you have the right kind; one that can put out grease-based fires most often found in kitchens. Make sure you know how to use the extinguisher. Check periodically to ensure that it is in proper working order.

Stay Fire Safe

Alex

What is Fireproofing?

In this day and age there is a lot of talk about fireproofing. However, how many people actually know what fireproofing is, or how it is done? First of all, you have to understand that fireproofing is very needed today. Fireproofing something means that you are taking passive fire protection measures to protect a building in case of a fire. Most of the time, fireproofing is done by making certain materials and or structures resistant to fire. Usually this is done by adding certain materials to things that are fire resistant already. The better materials you use, the better fire resistance rating you are going to get. However, it is important to keep in mind the fact that, just because something is fireproofed, does not mean that it will be entirely unaffected by fire. Nothing can ever be entirely immune to fires, but fireproofing them does give you a better chance of having your things protected in case of a fire.

There are many places where you can see fireproofing hard at work. Some places included steel structures to help them stay below 540 degrees. You can also see it used with electrical circuits to keep them below 140 degrees. This helps them stay operational all the time. Other places you may run into fireproofing would be things like pipe bridges at a chemical plant or in the concrete lining of a traffic tunnel. Keeping these things fireproofed is very important for every day living. If you think of the millions of people that use a bridge or a steel building every year, then you will see why fireproofing these things is a must.

There are a few inorganic methods that people use to help fireproof things. A lot of these are designed as a spray that is used to coat things that need to be fireproofed. When you spray on these materials it usually covers the surface kind of like a plaster. There are three very famous fireproofing plasters that are out there. The first one is known as Gypsum plaster. The other two are cementitious plasters and of course, fibrous plasters. Depending on what you are trying to fireproof, will determine the type of plaster that is best suited for you. Once again, just because it is covered in this special type of plaster does not mean that it is going to be completely safe from fires.

Although a lot of people do not think about buildings being fireproofed, they are. Apartment buildings are being made with fire walls to help protect the people that are living there. This way, if someone living next door to you has a fire, the fire will be stopped by the fire wall. Of course, it is never a sure thing. It is very possible for a fire to come through a fire wall; so this is not something that you can rely on. If your apartment ever catches on fire, you need to get out right away (even if you have fire walls). If the fire walls work, then your stuff will be protected, but if it does’nt work, then you don’t want to go down in flames like the rest of your things.

Stay Fire Safe

Alex

Active and Passive Fire Protection Systems

With the inception of the present global climate and eco-crisis, governments and private sectors the world over are conscious and sensitive to the inevitable need to avail of the latest and more reliable 21st century mix of active and passive fire protection tools to protect the environment, infrastructure, assets and lives from the damages caused by uncontrolled fires.

Fire protection systems have the essential role to play in providing front line defence of residential, commercial and industrial buildings, invaluable assets inside the facilities and the occupants. In forestry settings as well as in educational and healthcare facilities, what kind of protection systems out there can face bush wild fires and hospital and school fires? How about fire suppression systems being installed in very tall, magnificently constructed buildings sprucing up all over the world?

In recent years, a remarkable trend has been happening in the construction industry. More and more building and facilities designers are integrating natural elements and sustainable “green” components into their designs such as the use of natural lighting through atria, skylight and fire rated glazed materials. Construction designs and fire protection engineering are being integrated to comply with prevailing building codes and fire code standards. To assure compliance, all the stakeholders, the owners, architects, designers, engineers including the fire protection engineers and building and permit authorities are collaborating with each other.

Passive fire protection is at work 24/7 and when a raging fire comes roaring, the systems should have the power to control the fire and prevent it from spreading. How effective the installation and maintenance of these passive fire protection tools can only be evaluated in a post fire assessment of structural and collateral damage. One tool being promoted for educational and healthcare structures are fire rated glazing materials which allow natural daylight to go through building spaces of medical labs, stairways, corridors, etc. instead of using artificial lighting.

Another passive protection is the use of fire retardants. They can restrain spread of fire and save lives and properties. You can apply the latest kind of retardants to your curtains, draperies, carpeting, dining and living room furniture and fixtures, or equipments and others as extra precaution in addition to your smoke alarms or sprinklers.

With respect to active fire protection weapons such as fire extinguishers, you have the responsibility as home or facility owner to be aware of the latest types of equipments available. It is important to be updated with products having value added properties such as being non-toxic, non-irritant and eco-friendly. You need to look for extinguishers which are freeze resistant, rated and listed, effective fire class A-B-C-D-L. It is advisable if they are liquid, non-corrosive and pH neutral. It has been reported that water-based technology products are capable of fighting transformer fires and can demonstrate fire temperature resistance in excess of 2982 C while extinguishing magnesium fires. They are sample models of fire fighting equipments for the 21st century. So you need to check them out for verification and confirmation.

Fire extinguishers, sprinklers and other active fire protection systems are most effective when integrated and incorporated with passive fire protection systems to have a well balanced strategy. Using (DSC) detection, suppression and compartmentalization approach will allow occupants a safe exit during a fire and provide protection from flames, smoke and heat to your valuable assets. These are the types of 21st century fire protection systems you should invest in for the protection of precious lives of people you care and love and your valuable properties!

Stay Fire Safe

Alex