FIRE ! FIRE ! FIRE !  HELP !! HELP !! HELP !!

Is the last thing you’d expect to hear in your own home say most people I’ve spoken to. Why or Why Not is what I usually ask them. Here’s why I say what  I do.

When’s the last time you’ve done a hazard hunt? Better yet do you even know what a hazard hunt is?

Have you checked your electrical gadgets, wiring, circuits in recent days/weeks/months/years?

Do you even know where the Electric Main Supply to your home is?

Here’s another a question for you What’s the Fire Brigade Number?

No Big Surprise if you didn’t get it right because 2/3rd respondents of the survey i conducted said they didn’t know or weren’t sure.

You weren’t here to feel bad about yourself , you’re here to learn about Fire Safety and we will get right into it.

CONDUCT A HAZARD HUNT

Involve the entire family in this exercise.

Reward them, make it fun but at the end of it come up with an action plant/next steps whatever the term you use for your tasks at hand.

Some focus on how and when to extinguish a fire.

PEOPLE

If a person’s clothes catch on fire then here’s what needs to be done.

STOP !  DROP !! ROLL !!!

CALL  an AMBULANCE or transport safely to the nearest hospital that treats FIRE victims.

* Remember All hospitals can provide First Aid (light burns) deeper burns require specialized treatment available only at some hospitals. If you aren’t sure ask the Ambulance Service to guide you.

OBJECTS

When tackling a fire that involves objects fixed or movable it is important to always assess if you have a SAFE WAY OUT. If  You Don’t, then as hard as it may be to see your things go up in flames, let them.

Before tackling the fire ensure everyone in your household knows there’s a fire, your neighbors too. 

Call the Fire Service

Here’s how to Extinguish a Flame with an Extinguisher:

Don’t forget to P.A.S.S.

The most common extinguishers kept in homes are DCP & CO2

If for whatever reason you are unable to get out of the room/house/building and the fire and smoke’s filling up then do the following:

Wet a cloth and use to block the gaps under the door or gaps in the windows

Do not grab the metal handles they could be hot, feel the door the door first.

Keep wet cloths to cover face and too cool oneself

Do Not break any window

Stay low on the floor

Communicate your whereabouts by phone if possible, Wave through a glass window (take turns if with others) don’t over exert.

Move to a safer room if possible that’s furthest away from the fire.

Now that you’ve learnt and hopefully you have some basics on Fire Safety, go and practice. We’ve all heard the horror stories don’t become one yourself.

Please share any experience that you may have had with the learning that you’ve taken from it. ask@norbalm.com