Fire Protection Month

October is National Fire Awareness Month. A time when we all should be aware of ways to respond during a fire hazard.

Develop an Emergency Evacuation Plan

At work, home, or play knowing your emergency evacuation plan is vitally important if a fire breaks out.

At work. Your company should have an established evacuation plan. It is important for every employee to know the plan and what to do in an emergency. The Emergency Evacuation Plan should include maps or floor plans of your work area so that escape routes are clearly identified. Oftentimes evacuation route maps are displayed in hallways or common areas. Once evacuated, you will need to regroup at your designated assembly point (which should be identified on the map).

At home. Create an evacuation plan with your household. Practice the plan so everyone knows what to do in an emergency. Identify a good place for everyone to meet; in front of the home where you will be visible to incoming, responding units is best.

When traveling. Pay attention to where fire extinguishers are located. Emergency lighting should work, but just in case try counting doors when arriving and notice if it is a left or right movement. Again, exit to the front of the building to be identified by incoming emergency responders.

Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are required in the workplace, but fire extinguishers are also beneficial to have in the home. A few essential places to keep fire extinguishers in your home are the kitchen, garage, basement, and laundry room. If you can reach a fire extinguisher within a few seconds of the start of a fire, then you can put out or control a fire in its early stages. This quick action will not only prevent massive property damage, but it may save your life and the lives of your loved ones. Don’t wait until you need a fire extinguisher to think about this. Take a look at your home today and make sure you have these fire extinguishers in your home everywhere you need them. Extinguishers should be in plain view and properly charged. To use a fire extinguisher, remember the acronym PASS.

P – Pull the pin from the handle.
A – Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire from approximately 5 feet away.
S – Squeeze the handle securely.
S – Sweep the nozzle from side to side covering all of the fire surface area.

When using a fire extinguisher, always face the fire so that your back is to the door, which is your escape route. The ability to escape should be identified early and if it is jeopardized for any reason, the responder should evacuate the area.