What I Can Do

Disasters strike in every corner of the world, during every season, and on different scales

throughout the year. Whether it’s an unexpected earthquake, a terrible house fire, or a

devastating hurricane, disasters can strike at any time and can happen to anyone – they don’t

discriminate. Accidents happen when we least expect them. When your premises catch fire, it

can be one of the most traumatizing moments in your life. A fire accident on any property is a

recipe for disaster. It pinches hard to see your favorite things blazed in the fire. Sometimes the

damage is so severe that you cannot be in a position to salvage anything. These events are often

unexpected by their very nature, leaving little time, if any, to prepare. That is why it is so

important to put time into planning and preparation long before the disaster strikes. The key to

reducing loss of life, personal injuries, and damage from disasters is widespread public

awareness and education. People must be made aware of what disasters are likely to face in their

own communities. They should know in advance what specific preparations to make before an

event, what to do during a hurricane, earthquake, flood, fire, or other likely event, and what

actions to take in its aftermath. Equally important, public officials and the media — television,

radio, and newspapers — must be fully prepared to respond effectively, responsibly, and

speedily to large-scale natural emergencies. Thus, when any disaster strikes, whether it be a

hurricane, flood, domestic terrorism, tornado, or fire, the situation has the potential to create

chaos and confusion. Effective disaster preparedness helps alleviate some of the chaos wrought

by the unexpected crisis. 

Additional Activities

From all the lessons that I’ve learned about the elements of fire, its stages and causes, I

think that I’m more equipped now with the necessary preparations when there is a fire. The key

to reducing loss of life, personal injuries, and damage from fire disasters is widespread public

awareness and education. This are some of the precautionary measures that I’ve observed in my;

a. Home

Losing your home to a fire is a scary thought, but there’s plenty you can do to prevent

fires from starting. And while accidents happen, you can learn how to prevent a fire from starting

and spreading through your home.

Check your smoke detectors

Fire and smoke detectors are your first line of defense against danger. When smoke and

heat enter that little device on your wall, the sensors inside sound the alarm. This means you can

catch the problem before it becomes an emergency. So be sure to keep your smoke and fire

detectors in good condition.

Watch your appliances

Appliances like stoves and washing machines make daily life a lot easier, but they can

also pose a fire hazard. According to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), half of house

fires start in the kitchen. Thankfully, there are a few ways to make every room in your home a

little safer.

In the kitchen
 From family meals to midnight snacks, the kitchen may be the best room in the house.

But with so many appliances in one place, it deserves a little extra attention.

When it’s time to get cooking, be sure your oven, stove, and any hot plates are far away from

flammable items like curtains, rags, or chemicals. Don’t leave the room unattended if you can

help it. And keep a fire extinguisher on hand in the kitchen in case of grease fires or other

emergencies.

Sleeping areas

Start by taking a look at your mattress to make sure it contains flame-retardant chemicals

inside. For extra protection, consider a flame-retardant mattress cover. Good habits and smart

fire safety practices can help prevent fires in the bedroom too. Electric blankets, smoking in bed,

space heaters, and overloaded wall sockets are all hazards in the bedroom. If you smoke, take it

outside. Only use electric blankets with automatic shut off abilities. And avoid overloading wall

sockets and power strips with too many plugs.

The living room

If you have a fireplace, your living room or den may be a hot spot for fire hazards. Keep

the stove or fireplace clean and clear of debris or flammable items (even when not in use).

Having a Christmas tree near the fire sounds cozy, but it can be seriously dangerous without

proper precautions.

When using your fireplace, keep the glass windows open and the metal screen shut. This

allows air to enter the fireplace but keeps embers from jumping onto your floors. Use fire-safe

tools like iron pokers to move around any logs inside. Never use your hands.
The laundry room

The laundry room seems like an odd place for fire hazards until you remember that dryer

lint is flammable. When it comes to common places in your home for fires to start, the laundry

room sees its fair share. These high-powered appliances can overheat, especially if the vents

aren’t cleared out regularly.

Garage and outside

Grills, bonfires, and fireworks are obvious culprits for outside and backyard fires. But did

you know potting soil is a fire hazard too? Fertilizer and some brands of potting soil contain

flammable materials that can combust under heat or after someone ashes a cigarette.

Store your gardening supplies in a cool, dry area. And if anyone in your house smokes,

be sure to provide them with a safe place to put out their cigarettes.

Whether it’s the grill or the summer sun, keep flammable products away from heat.

Designate a cool, dark cupboard for flammable products and make sure all family members

know where they go. Keep combustible materials like paint and gasoline in their original

containers. Store tightly closed paint containers upside down so the paint creates a seal. Gasoline

should be stored in containers designed for gasoline. If a container develops a crack or leak,

transfer its contents into a new container made of the same material as the original.

Practice safe habits

Simple precautions and staying aware of your surroundings lower the chances of a fire in

your home. It’s easy to get distracted while going about your day, but activities like cooking can
become dangerous quickly without some mindfulness. So start by forming fire-safe habits like

these.

Careful with candles

We see candles throughout the year during holidays, the occasional spa night, and

romantic dinners. But no matter what you’re celebrating (or unwinding from), it’s important to

play it safe. Never leave candles unattended and always keep them away from flammable items

like blankets and curtains. Place candles in secure, tip-proof holders and extinguish them before

leaving or going to sleep. If you’re afraid you’ll forget, set a timer on your stove or phone.

Close bedroom doors

House fires spread quickly when there are no barriers. Something as simple as closing

bedroom doors at night can create passive fire protection that buys precious seconds when it

counts.

Don’t smoke inside

We don’t recommend smoking, but if you do it, do it safely. Stay at least 25 feet from the

nearest door and keep a place to dispose of your cigarette butts like an ashtray or smokers’ pole.

If you smoke near a shed or garage, be sure the area is clear of flammable liquids and fumes.

Practice Good Electrical Safety

Look for frayed wires, surge marks in wire, and damaged cords. If you see any exposed

wires, unplug the electronic and replace it immediately.

 Keep all cords away from furniture and rugs. Running cords under rugs is dangerous.
  Avoid overusing extension cords or crowding them into one socket. These can cause

electrical fires from overuse or overloaded electrical connections.

Know the drill

Good habits can prevent fires, but you should still have a plan in case of emergencies.

Discuss with your family what to do if a fire starts while you’re home.

 Establish two escape routes from every room.

 Practice and time your family twice a year to make sure they know the plan. 

 Choose two meeting places away from your house in case of separation.

 Show everyone in your home where to find the gas and power shut offs.

 Make sure children have a way to contact you and know information like your address

and phone number.

b. School

School fire safety is of critical importance for one obvious reason -tens or hundreds of kids are

present and a fire, irrespective of its size can be very disastrous.  As you know, most of the furniture in a

classroom such as desks, chairs, and tables are made from combustible materials like wood or plastic. The

chemistry laboratory is a high-fire risk zone, as it contains large quantities of flammable liquids. A fire in

such a place can easily go out of control and cause large scale damage within minutes. And even worse,

claim the precious lives of students. Another high risk but often ignored area is the canteen, as there may

be large containers of LPG and other combustible materials that can easily start a fire. 

Below are some effective tips you can incorporate into your fire safety program. 

Clear access to Exits and alarms

  This is an important job that can easily be taken care of by staffs and teachers. They need to

ensure that fire exits, alarm stations and stairways are clear at every time of the day. Doing this will make

it easier for students to exit to safety without any hindrance in the event of an emergency.

Review and Update your fire prevention policies

Regardless of how solid or concrete your fire prevention and control plan may be, it may have

some loopholes or blind spots that you may not be seeing at the moment. Fire prevention is an ongoing

process that should be updated and reviewed on a regular basis. Keep in mind that you and your staffs

don’t have to create a fire prevention plan and teach your students about fire safety all the time. Reach out

to the local fire department in your area, as they offer educational programs for campuses or schools.

Even more, they can help refine your fire prevention policies. 

Empower your students 

Make your students understand why it is important to practice fire safety at all times. Don’t forget

to tell them how much you appreciate them following the rules, behaving properly, and helping their

classmates. When your students know that they are learning something that can potentially serve them in

college, they will take pride in being part of the school fire prevention and safety program.

Buddy system

A buddy system is great for helping kids with special needs. Identify kids with special needs in

each classroom and set up a buddy system to support these children who may need extra help during a fire

emergency and during practice drills. 

Make familiarity a requirement

  Make sure your staffs clearly understand your school fire safety plans and systems. When

everyone has a firm grasp on how security lighting, sprinklers, and alarms are working, it will be easy for

them to spot a problem or an irregularity before it gets out of hand. 

Evacuation routes 

Post clear maps in every classroom that shows two or more escape routes in the event of a fire.

Clearly explain to students that stairways and hallways need to be free from obstructions at all times.

Don’t hesitate to ask your students to help back -up the efforts of your staffs to keep evacuation routes

free from obstruction and safe. 

Order over excitement 

As you probably know, children usually get overly excited during a fire drill. Make it clear to

them that their safety depends on how well they follow the rules and how orderly they are. Carefully

explain to them why they need to stay with the group and keep their place in line. Teach them to remain

calm during fire safety drills so that they won’t be frightened in the event of a real emergency.

Safe Zone 

Designate a safe area outside the school building as a safe zone everybody can run to when there

is a fire. The safe zone should be a good distance away from the building and should be accessible. 

Headcount 

Teachers should take a head count of everybody in the safe zone to see if everybody is present.

To ensure that the headcount is accurate, teachers should have a list of all the students in their class. Do

well to make students understand that they should never go back to the building to collect anything until

they are given the all-clear.

Practice fire safety drill often

 Irrespective of how solid your fire safety plan and prevention plan is or how well you teach fire

safety, lesson need to be reinforced with constant practice. Hold fire drill at least once a month so that

every student becomes familiar with following escape routes and getting organized for evacuation. 

Shake up the routine from time to time

Hold unscheduled fire drills at different times of the day, a couple of times a semester. This is

likely going to give staffs an opportunity to narrow down the loopholes and help kids learn to stay calm in

the event of a fire emergency. 

Make use of online resources

Figuring out how to teach little kids about fire safety can be challenging and frustrating, as they

may not fully grasp the damage it can cause. Instead of racking and cudgeling your brain trying to figure

the best way to teach your students about fire safety, make use of online tools and website

(FireSafeKids.org) that have fun games and activities that can help kids learn about fire safety while

having fun. 

Final note

Fire safety is paramount in any academic institution, especially for little kids. While fire drills are

important, they aren’t enough to mitigate the risk of a fire in the school environment. This makes it

critical for school directors to go the extra mile, by installing high tech fire detection devices, regularly

evaluating escape routes and safe zone, and shake things up from time to time. Of course, doing this

might be difficult and expensive, to say the least. But it will go a long way in reducing the odds of a fire

starting in the school environment. 

c. Community

One of the most important tasks undertaken by a local fire department is educating

community members on the importance of fire safety.  Research conducted by the National Fire

Protection Association shows that most members of your community do not understand the risks

that fire brings and the proper precautions that should be taken to protect their homes and their

families. 

The research produced the following results: 

 71% of households have a fire escape plan, but only 47% of those households have

practiced the plan together.

 A third of individuals surveyed believe that they have at least 6 minutes before a home

fire is life-threatening, but statistics show they have closer to 2 minutes.

 A mere 8% of individuals surveyed said that their first thought when they heard the

smoke alarm was to get out. 

One of the best ways to promote home fire safety is to conduct home fire safety visits in your

local community. These visits allow residents to learn firsthand from respected safety authorities

and build connections and trust with local first responders. Ultimately, they can save lives. 

Use these three tips to have effective home fire safety visits and better promote fire safety in

your community. 

 You need to be prepared for an emergency, such as a fire. An emergency plan should

clearly explain what to do in the event of an emergency. It should also describe

responsibilities of key employees and what they need to do.

 You should also carry out a fire drill at least twice a year. The drill will help to ensure

that the plan works, and that people can follow it. You should correct any problems found

during the drill. 

 You need to provide a method for detecting a fire quickly and raising the alarm. The

warning system, when it has been set off from any point, should be clearly heard

throughout the premises. It should provide enough warning for people to evacuate the

building safely.