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FIRE
strikes anywhere and when it does, it devastates, taking
away lives and property. Fire does not discriminate –
from the lowly citizen to the most influential man in
the country—both have to reckon with its fury.
As the
cooler days of February drew near to its end and usher
in the hot days of March, the nation is again reminded
to take the necessary precaution to prevent fire
accidents. Fire Prevention Month is not a celebration
but a time for watchfulness to ensure that lives and
property are safe from the ravages of fire.
Fire
levels everything to the ground and, thus, business and
consumer interest are being safeguarded whenever safety
is being practiced.
Fire
safety can never be overly emphasized. With much
education and precautions being observed, fire accidents
do strike year-round. The Bureau of Fire Protection has
recorded a total of 8,823 fire incidents nationwide last
year that led to 271 fatalities, 596 injuries, and an
estimated P3.2 billion worth of damage to properties. A
majority of these were caused by electrical connections.
With the
observance of the Fire Prevention Month, it is necessary
to be again reminded of practical ways to prevent these
things from happening.
Practice
safety.
Conscious effort must be done to ensure that all
electrical appliances, outlets and combustible materials
are used properly and placed in its rightful place.
Electrical appliances should be unplugged when not in
use. Observe proper voltage usage. Keep combustible
materials in a cool and dry place. Keep candles and
matches away from children.
Never
leave candles burning while you sleep or in the presence
of children. Store flammable liquids in high cabinets or
outside the house. Teach children that lighters and
matches are not toys and should only be used by adults.
Place
the stove away from combustibles, and never leave it
unattended when cooking. Avoid using staple wires, nails
and other conductors (materials that absorb heat) to
fasten electrical cords. Do not hide cords under rugs
and behind curtains.
Avoid
smoking in the house.
Around 250 fire incidents last year were caused by
lighted cigarette butts. Always make sure that cigarette
butts are completely stubbed out before disposal.
Be
prepared for fire accidents.
Plan a fire escape plan with your family. For each room,
identify at least two easy ways to get out. Agree on a
distant location where everybody can gather after you
escape. If there are bedrooms upstairs, always keep an
escape ladder near an exit door or window. Make sure
every family member knows how and where to report a fire
emergency, and keep the list of numbers near a
telephone.
Fight
and Flee.
Remember that fire needs oxygen to combust. To
extinguish a small fire, cover it with a towel or
blanket. Never use water to put out electrical fires.
When the fire gets out of hand, call the nearest fire
station right away. Then get out quickly and do not go
back in. Placing the emergency call should be made
before you escape.
Suffocation from smoke is the usual cause of death
during fire accidents. If you find yourself trapped
inside and smoke starts to fill the room, keep your body
close to the ground and crawl your way to the nearest
fire exit. When your clothes are caught on fire, take
these simple steps—Stop, Drop and Roll.
As
another safety measure, invest in a reliable fire
extinguisher for your home. Not all extinguishers can
put out every type of fire, so be careful in choosing
which one to buy. Fires are classified into four—Class
A involves solid materials that are usually organic in
nature, Class B involves flammable liquids, Class C
involves gases, and Class D involves metals.
Make
sure the fire extinguisher has been certified by the
DTI’s Bureau of Product Standards. Look for the
Philippine Standard (PS) mark, if locally manufactured,
or the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) mark, if
imported. These signs indicate that the product has
passed stringent testing for compliance to PNS ISO
7165:2000—the standard which specifies the principal
requirements intended to ensure the safety, reliability
and performance of portable fire extinguishers.
The
operating, recharging, inspection and maintenance
instructions should be etched or embossed on a metal
nameplate, or painted directly on the body of the
extinguisher. Other labels to look for are the serial
number, year of manufacture, factory test pressure,
gross mass, code symbols as to fire classification, and
the statements “Recharge immediately after use” for
rechargeable units or “Discard immediately after use”
for disposable units.
Fire
prevention saves lives and property. The life and
property that you save may be your own.
* * *
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