Fire Safety Advice

The new year is a great time for a reminder of the do’s and don’ts when it comes to fires, particulary as the Western Cape approaches it’s fire season. 

Preventing a fire from starting is just as important as knowing what to do when one has started. Perhaps now is a good time to remind your family, household staff members and work employees of basic do’s and don’ts, to ensure their safety when it comes to fires. 

DO:

• Install smoke alarms and have them linked to your alarm system
• Buy at least one fire extinguisher for your home
• Know your emergency numbers and what to do in an emergency. Make sure the local fire department’s number is pre-loaded on your phone
• Check electrical cables for faults and take note of warnings on electrical appliances
• Keep low when exiting a smoke-filled room and cover your nose and mouth with a damp cloth
• Work out an emergency fire drill with your family

DON’T:

• Leave a burning candle, heater, pot of oil or fire unattended
• Pack up your personal belongings before getting to safety
• Try to put an oil fire out with water
• Open a door which is hot to the touch
• Go back into the house if you’ve made it outside safely
• Go into a room that is on fire

In the working environment for companies,  a new year refresher course could remind team members of these safety tips for fire prevention:

• Keep your workplace clean and tidy as waste left lying around is a source of fuel for a fire
• Keep flammable substances (fuel) and ignition sources (heat) apart
• Use designated smoking areas
• Do not leave food cooking unmonitored
• Avoid using naked flames unless necessary
• Install smoke and fire detecting systems
• Avoid self-connection of electrical machinery and appliances
• Firefighting equipment should be installed in accordance to building fire safety regulations.
• Different fire extinguishers should be placed in accordance to different risks factors Chemicals should be stored in a closed environment and mixing of chemicals should be avoided. Doors and corridors should be unobstructed

We also recommend that any dry vegetation along the outer perimeter of your property, residential or commercial, be trimmed back. This removes the fuel needed that could spark an unwanted and unexpected veld fire in your doorstep.

Article with thanks from Fidelity ADT