|
|
 |
- How do I protect my family from fire in general?
- How do I protect my family from electric shock?
- How do I protect my family from lead poisoning?
- How do I practice safety with electricity?
- How do I develop a family escape plan?
- How do I escape from a fire?
- What should I know about burn prevention if my kids are
young?
- How do I treat a burn at home and when do I get help?
- What should I know about 911?
- What should I do after giving all my information to 911?
- Where should I install the smoke detector?
- When should I replace my smoke detector?
- My smoke detector goes off a lot. What is wrong with it?
- My smoke detector beeps. What is wrong with it?
- What type and size of fire extinguisher should I have?
- My landlord refuses to install a smoke detector. Who is responsible? What can I do?
- Where should I store my fire extinguisher?
- How often should I have my extinguisher recharged?
- How do I use a fire extinguisher?
- How high do fire department ladders reach?
- How long should emergency power last?
- Why can't I use the elevators during a fire alarm??
- Is the fire alarm system connected directly to the fire station?
How do I protect my family from fire in general?
- Have a smoke alarm near or inside bedrooms and on every floor or level of your home. Test the alarms once a month, and change the batteries once a year. New 10-year detectors, which use lithium batteries, cost about $5 to $30 and can be found at most hardware and discount stores.
- Practice different ways to get out of the house during a fire, and agree on a safe place to meet outside.
- Do not smoke inside your home.
- Make sure everyone in your family knows the STOP, DROP, and ROLL procedure in case their clothes catch on fire.
- Keep matches and lighters out of reach from children
How to protect my family from electric shock?
- Use safety plugs to cover electrical outlets.
- Keep electrical appliances, such as hair dryers and curling irons, out of the reach of children and away from water.
- Make sure shock protectors, known as ground fault circuit interrupters or GFCIs, are installed by professionals in bathrooms, kitchens, and other rooms with water or dampness. They help protect against electrical shock and against electrical fires by constantly monitoring the electrical current. At the first sign of a short to the ground, they automatically shut off the electricity, sparing you a potentially deadly shock.
- Have a professional check your home, especially if it is older, for proper electrical wiring.
How to protect my family from lead
poisoning?
- Have your home tested for lead paint if it was built before 1978.
- Ask your child's doctor or your health department if your child should be tested for lead.
- Know that the primary source of lead exposure is through lead based paint that is peeling, chipping, chalking, or cracking. This contaminated paint can be a hazard when found on surfaces those children can chew or that gets a lot of wear-and-tear. These include windows and windowsills, doors and door frames, stairs, railings, banisters, porches, and fences.
- Know that lead dust is also hazardous. It can form when lead-based paint is dry scraped, dry sanded, or heated. This dust can get on surfaces and objects that people touch. Settled lead dust can reenter the air when people vacuum, sweep, or walk through it. Lead dust is ingested primarily through hand-to-mouth contact.
- Know that drinking water can be contaminated by lead solder in the pipes. If you suspect that you might have lead in your plumbing, call your local health department to find out about testing your water.
How do I practice safety with electricity?
- Keep all electrical appliances such as hair dryers, toasters, and blenders away from the sink and tub.
- Make sure all appliances are approved by Under-writer's Laboratories (UL). (Look for the UL sign on the box or appliance.)
- Use ground fault circuit interrupters in areas near water (for example the kitchen, bathroom, or outside) to keep a deadly amount of electricity from reaching a person.
- Children can get shocked by chewing or sucking on an electrical cord or an extension cord. Unplug cords you are not using, and keep them out of your child's reach.
- Cover unused electrical outlets with single-panel covers that cover both outlets at once. (Your child can choke on the smaller, individual outlet covers.)
- All electrical burns should be looked at by a doctor immediately.
How to develop a family escape plan?
- Make a list of all exits from your home, including two usable exits from each bedroom: the door and a window.
- Buy a chain ladder for every upstairs bedroom and practice using it with older children. A good place to store it is under the bed.
- Draw the floor plan of your home and draw arrows to indicate each escape route. Post a copy in each bedroom and teach your family how to escape. Practice, Practice, and Practice!
How to escape from fire?
- Get out fast.
- You may have just a minute to get out before smoke, gas or fire kills you.
- You do not have time to call the fire department or to collect valuables.
- Teach your children to get out quickly. Children are often so scared that they will hide.
- To avoid being locked in, keep a key in or near deadbolt locks at night.
- Crawl--never walk or run.
- The poisonous smoke and extreme heat of a fire can kill you.
- Stay low to avoid the rising smoke and heat.
- Feel the door with the back of your hand to see if it is hot before you open it.
- Do not open a hot door (the fire is on the other side).
- Open a cool door slowly and crawl out of the house, if there is no smoke or fire in your way.
- If there is smoke or fire in your way, escape through a window instead.
- If the door is hot, put a sheet or clothes under it to seal the room from smoke.
- Crawl through the window to escape.
- Know how to escape from a window.
- Stay low to the ground and open the window.
- Climb out if you can safely reach the ground.
- From an upstairs bedroom, use a chain ladder to escape.
- If the window is sealed, break it by throwing a heavy object at it. (Protect yourself from broken glass.)
- Choose a safe meeting place outside.
- A meeting place (like the mailbox) helps in making sure everyone is out.
- Do not go back in for any reason.
- Go to a neighbor's house to call the fire department.
- Have your address clearly marked on your mailbox to help firefighters find your home.
What should I know about burn prevention if my
kids are small?
- Keep hot foods away from the edges of counters and tables.
- Avoid using tablecloths or placemats. Your child could pull on them and be burned by spilling hot food and drinks.
- Use the back burners of the stove first and keep pot handles facing away from the edge.
- While you are cooking, keep your child in a safe place away from the stove, such as a playpen or secured in a high chair.
- Do not carry your child and a hot drink or food at the same time.
How to Treat a
Burn at Home and When to Get Help?
- Run cold water over the skin for 20 minutes, then gently wash the burned area and loosely bandage it. (Do not use ice or butter, and do not break the blisters.)
- All second-degree burns larger than a quarter, or burns that remain red, painful, or swollen should be seen by a doctor.
- Any burns on a baby (birth to age 1), even sunburns, should be checked by a doctor right away.
- If the skin is whitish or charred and does not hurt, your child probably has a third-degree burn. This is serious.
- Third-degree burns do not hurt because the nerves have been damaged. Call 911 or your local emergency number.
What should I know about
911?
Teach your child about calling 911 (when it is appropriate and when it isn't) and work with your child to memorize his address and phone number so that he can make the emergency call if necessary. Practice calling 911 and teach your child how and when to call 911. (You cannot actually practice by dialing 911 because that will tie up the emergency lines. Just pretend and role play making the call.)
What do I need to tell the operator when calling 911?
- Your name
- Telephone number
- Address and specific location of your child
- Age, problem, and condition of the child (This helps the dispatcher decide what help to send - ambulance, fire department, etc.)
What should I do after giving all the information to 911?
- Stay on the line in case additional information is needed.
- Turn on outside and inside lights and have someone wait outside to direct in the EMTs. Be sure to put pets out of the way in another room.
- Have a list of all your child's allergies and any medications currently being taken.
- Most importantly, stay calm so that you can help your child stay calm.
Where should I install the smoke detector?
- Between each sleeping area and the remainder of the building.
- Where a sleeping area is served by a hallway, install the detector in the hall.
- Install the detector on or near the ceiling in accordance with the manufacturers installation instructions.
When should I replace my smoke detector?
Smoke detectors are electronic devices that do require eventual replacement. Studies have shown that they should be replaced after 7 to 10 years, depending on the location.
My smoke detector goes off a lot. What is wrong with it?
Second, the unit may need to be relocated. It could be too close to the kitchen, bathroom, heat register, or it could be defective and need to be replaced. Consult the installation instructions
- First clean the unit with a vacuum cleaner. Dust particles can and often do set off false alarms.
- Second, the unit may need to be relocated. It could be too close to the kitchen, bathroom, or heat register, or it could be defective and need to be replaced. Consult the installation instructions
My smoke detector beeps. What is wrong with it?
The problem is usually a weak or improper battery. Replace with a fresh battery as recommended by the manufacturer.
What type and size of fire extinguisher should I have?
The recommended extinguisher for home use is a "Dry Chemical" type, generally type 2A-10BC.
My landlord refuses to install a smoke detector. Who is responsible? What can I do?
Installation and Maintenance are the owners responsibility. The occupant should notify the owners in writing. Installation is to be done by the owner upon receipt of notification. Batteries are to be changed within two days of written notification.
Where should I store my fire extinguisher?
Store your extinguisher away from the stove, near the entrance to the kitchen. Mount the extinguisher on the bracket that is supplied with the extinguisher. In your workshop, mount the extinguisher away from power tools, near the exit.
How often should I have my extinguisher recharged?
After each use or if the gauge shows a loss of pressure. Dry chemical extinguishers must be hydrostatically tested and recharged every six years.
How do I use a fire extinguisher?
Always follow manufacturers instructions as listed on the extinguisher.
General Instructions:
- Operate the extinguisher in an upright position
- Remove the safety pin
- Aim at the base of the fire from the distance recommended by the manufacturer
- Squeeze the handle
- Use a sweeping motion
How high do the fire department ladders reach?
Approximately 6 stories for aerial ladders and 7 stories for the aerial platforms. It is dependent on how close the apparatus can get to the building and if there is underground parking that will restrict fire apparatus due to their weight.
How long should emergency power last?
It is dependent on the building and how the emergency power is supplied. Most newer buildings have emergency generators that provide continuous, uninterrupted lighting in stairwells and hallways. Other buildings have battery operated systems that provide lighting for a defined time period. Under the Building Code, emergency power must last long enough for occupants to safely leave the building (1/2 to 2 hours).
Why can't I use the elevators during a fire alarm?
- Elevators could become a smoke shaft during a fire.
- The power could fail, leaving you trapped in the elevator car.
- The door could open at the fire floor, exposing you to extreme heat and smoke.
- Firefighters need the elevator to transport manpower and equipment to the upper floors as quickly as possible.
How often does the fire alarm system in the building get tested?
All buildings:
- Monthly ... all bells, horns or sirens are tested
- Annually ...Complete system verification by qualified personnel
- Schools ... 6 times in total (3 in Fall, 3 in Spring)
- Daycare and Institutional occupancies ... Monthly testing
Is the fire alarm system connected directly to the fire station?
NO! Some buildings are monitored by private companies that will notify the Fire Department when the fire alarm is activated. It is important for people to call from the building and not assume that someone else has advised the Fire Department--911.
|
|
|
