COURSE: Fire Safety Course For Resource Families

Lesson One: An Ounce of Prevention

Copyright by the Alaska Center for Resource Families, 2006

Printable Version of Lesson One

(NOTE: This is the printable version of Lesson One only. Please go to first page of Lesson Two and Lesson Three to download the printable version of those chapters.)

 

In Lesson 1, you will learn...

 

Lesson One: An Ounce of Prevention:

Understanding the Nature of Fire

We've all seen fire on television and we all have some idea what a fire in our home might be like. We've seen the movies with brave firefighters who go into brightly burning buildings and rescue the dog and the baby. We think ahead of time what valuables and keepsakes we would want to take with us if we woke up to a fire in the middel of the night. But what is fire really like? Following are some of the myths we have about fires.

MYTH #1: “I’ve got about five to ten minutes to gather up the kids and a few valuables and get out after the smoke alarm goes out.”

REALITY: Fire is FAST!

There is little time! You only have (on average) about two minutes to escape fire in your home.

In less than 30 seconds a small flame can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire. It only takes minutes for thick black smoke to fill a house and the smoke will most likely kill you long before the flames ever reach you. In minutes, a house can be engulfed in flames. Most fires occur in the home when people are asleep. If you wake up to a fire, you won't have time to grab valuables because fire spreads too quickly and the smoke is too thick. There is only time to escape.

 

MYTH #2 : “If I crawl and stay low to the ground, I can get out before it gets too hot!”

REALITY: Fire is HOT!

Heat is more threatening than flames.

A fire's heat alone can kill. Room temperatures in a fire can be 100 degrees at floor level and rise to 600 degrees at eye level. Inhaling this super hot air will scorch your lungs. This heat can melt clothes to your skin. In five minutes a room can get so hot that everything in it ignites at once: this is called "flashover".

 

MYTH #3: “The fire will be bright enough that I can find my way to the door.”

REALITY: Fire is DARK!

Fire isn't bright, it's pitch black. Fire starts bright, but quickly produces black smoke and complete darkness. If you wake up to a fire you may be blinded, disoriented and unable to find your way around the home you've lived in for years.

 

MYTH #4: “If I have a smoke alarm, I’m protected.”

REALITY: Fire is DEADLY!

Smoke and toxic gasses kill more people than flames do. Most household items contain chemicals that can burn toxic in a short amount of time.

Fire uses up the oxygen you need and produces smoke and poisonous gases that kill. Breathing even small amounts of smoke and toxic gases can make you drowsy, disoriented and short of breath. The odorless, colorless fumes can lull you into a deep sleep before the flames reach your door. You may not wake up in time to escape.

 

Home Hazards

Prevention is the best tool in keeping your family safe. By looking at your living space with a critical eye, you may stop a problem before it starts. Use the exercise below to learn what to look for to help prevent a fire from starting. This is a good activity to use with kids, too! (YOU WILL NEED TO ACCESS THIS ACTIVITY ON LINE.)

 

Prevention is always the best way to keep your family safe. . To help you find the potential hazards in your home, let's go on a trip with the Abby and Julia Simpson as they look for safety hazards in their home. "Hunting for Home Safety with the Simpsons" Click on the link below and walk through the Simpson house with Abby and Julia Simpson as the family looks for potential fire hazards. (This exercise is part of the National Fire Protection Association homepage www.sparky.org.)

(Or go to http://www.sparky.org/simpson_hunt/hazards_1.html )

The National Fire Protection Association has assembled a Home Safety Checklist for your family's use. Use it to grade your home's safety potential. Click here to open Home Fire Safety Checklist. (You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open this file.)

Another great resource for checking out home safety is the “Your Home Fire Safety Checklist” published by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission. This comprehensive booklet is available on line and covers a wide variety of safety tips that will keep your family safer from common causes of home fires.

Fire Extinguishers 101 has a great listing of safety tips for your home. Find it at http://www.fire-extinguisher101.com/hazards.html.

Fire Statistics and Issues in Alaska

Alaska tends to have a higher rate of death and injury by fires. In 2004, 1.9 deaths per 100.000 population died by fire related causes. That’s 1.7 times the national average which was 1.1 deaths per 100,000. In that same year, there were 22.5 total deaths in Alaska per 1.000 fires compared to 7.8 nation deaths per 1000 fires. That’s 2.9 times the average!

From State of Alaska Department of Public Safety Report and the National Fire Protection Association Data. For other statistics about fires in Alaska, check out From Fire in Alaska, 2004. Published by the State of Alaska .

The following excerpt from an article in the Western Journal of Medicine points out the higher risk of fire in rural Alaska and the importance of working smoke detectors.

Between the years 1986 and 1995, an annual average of 5,000 people lost their lives and another 28,000 were injured in U.S. fires. The problem for Native Americans is even worse, with a fire fatality rate that is 3.6 times higher than the national rate of 1.28 per 100,000 people. Alaska has the highest fire fatality rate among states in the United States. The fire fatality rate for Native Alaskans (12.3/100,000) is 9.6 times the national rate and 3.5 times higher than the Alaska rate for all races of 3.47 per 100,000.

For the 19 Alaska residential fires involving 23 deaths in 1996, only 5 homes (26%) had a smoke alarm installed, and only 1 of them (5%) was operational at the time of the fire. Most rural Native Alaskans live in small homes with electrical heating systems that do not meet accepted industry standards. When the fact that most rural villages have little or no fire-fighting capabilities is added, the potential for disaster is great. This situation is not unlike that seen in other poor rural US communities, mobile home parks, and some apartment complexes. Therefore, early detection and escape become essential elements in preventing fire fatalities among these populations.

From Ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms in rural Alaskan homes by Fazzini, Perkins, and Grossman. Western Journal of Medicine, West J Med. 2000 August; 173(2): 89–92. © Copyright 2000 BMJ publishing Group

The persistent problem of improperly installed or missing smoke detectors was also found in the 2004 Fire in Alaska Report by the State of Alaska Department of Public Safety. In the study of civilian fire fatalities in the period between 1995 and 2004, 84% occurred in residential structures. Out of the ten different homes that were involved, 2 had a smoke alarm present; however, only 1 of them was in working condition. Five or 50% did not have a smoke alarm present. In the remaining 3 residential homes, the smoke alarm presence was reported as undetermined.

Governor Frank Murkowski has declared October 2006 as "Fire Prevention Month" encouraging all citizens to participate in fire prevention activities at home, work, and school and to practice the 2006 theme, “Watch What You Heat.” Read the full proclamation HERE.

State of Alaska Foster Care Regulations Regarding Fire Safety

The State of Alaska DHSS Licensing Regulations establish basic fire safety standards for foster homes. Here is a simple summary of the fire-related regulations as they apply to foster homes. (NOTE: Licensing Regulation were updated and modified June 23, 2006.)

When you become a foster home, your licensing worker inspects your home to make sure that your home meets the basic safety requirements listed below and others such as two means of emergency escape and large enough windows in sleeping areas. Foster parents are expected to maintain these physical safety requirement as well as the following requirements.

Fire Extinguisher

At least one fully charged fire extinguisher (2A:10BC dry chemical fire extinguisher) strategically located on each level of the house. 

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

A working smoke detector located in each bedroom, and an additional smoke detector on each level. Smoke detectors should not be more than ten years old.

An operating carbon monoxide detector within each sleeping are or no more than three feet from the entrance to bedrooms. If your home is multi-leveled, at least one operating carbon monoxide detector on each level.  

Fire Evacuation Plans and Drills

Your “evacuation plan” should get children out of the house or apartment within 2 1/2 minutes. More will be said about effective fire drills in the next lesson. But foster care regulations specify:

-Practice fire drills once a month. If the children in care are 12 years and older and have practiced the fire drill at least three times, fire drills can be practiced once every three months.

-Document your fire drills and note the following information:

-f you care for a child under 30 months with special needs (such as deafness or in a wheel chair or crib bound), you need to specify a way to evacuate that child. Determine in advance who is able to carry the child or how will the chair be wheeled out of the house or where the accessible exits are located.

-A sample “FIREDRILL REPORT” is included in this website to use in your record keeping.. A “FIRE ESCAPE PLANNER” is also included. Click below to access these documents. (MUST HAVE ADOBE PDF.) (YOU WILL NEED TO ACCESS THIS ACTIVITY ON LINE.)

FIRE ESCAPE PLANNER FOR RESOURCE PARENTS

FIRE DRILL REPORT FOR FOSTER PARENTS

 

Review of Lesson One

Take this review of Lesson One to check what you learned about the nature of fire, how to check your home for fire hazards and what is required in a licensed foster home.

1. “I’ve got about five to ten minutes to gather up the kids and a few valuables and get out after the smoke alarm goes out.”

a. TRUE
b. FALSE

 

2. In a licensed foster home, where are smoke alarms required to be located?

a. On every floor
b. In every bedroom
c. In every bedroom and on every floor
d. In the kitchen

 

3. If you are using a safety ladder with children, during the fire drill you should practice going out of the second story of the home during the drill.

a. TRUE
b. FALSE

 

4. As you put your fire escape plan together, how many exits should you plan for out of every room?

a. 1 exit
b. 2 exits
c. 3 exits
d. 4 exits

 

5. According to foster care regulations, how often should you practice fire drills?

a. once, when the child first come to your house
b. once a week
c. once a month
d. once every six months

 

6. If you are caught in a fire, you can count on the flames to help light your way toward the exit if the electrical lights blow out.

a. TRUE
b. FALSE

 

 

CORRECT ANSWERS:

1. b. FALSE - Fire burns fast. You have only a few minutes to get your family out.

2. c. In every bedroom and on every floor.

3. b. FALSE - For safety sake, practice on the first floor with a child.

4. b. 2 exits

5. c. once a month - If your children are over twelve years old and they have had at least three monthly fire drills in a row, you can switch to once every three months.

6. b. FALSE - Household fires burn black because household items contain a lot of chemicals. You may become disoriented even in your own house!

 

In LESSON ONE, this section, you learn about the true nature of fire, the statistics about fire risk in Alaska, and how prevention and practice are your best defense to keep your family safe. In LESSON TWO, you'll learn more about effective fire drills and how to use a fire extinguisher. Click here to continue to LESSON TWO.