Fire Inspector and Building Inspector
Lieutenant and Medical Officer, Hampton Falls Fire Department, NH
Click on the title words for these great articles:
Fire Extinguishers - Fight of Flight , Fire Prevention, First Aid, It's Just A Fire Drill, Cold Weather Injuries, Holiday Safety , Old Salt Fire Incident Coverage and Photographs
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Ever supervisor should ask three questions of their employees at every safety meeting:
1. Do you know the evacuation plan for your office?
2. What are the emergency phone numbers for:
- the fire department?
- the ambulance?
- the police department?
3. Can you use a fire extinguisher?
This is not a pass or fail test it's a life or death test. History has proven that people who have been trained to do the right thing during an emergency do much better and their survival rate is higher than those with little or poor training.
Here are some helpful suggestions to the questions above. Remember in an emergency time is in short supply.
1. Every office should have an easily understood evacuation plan posted in plane view. The plan should include at least these elements.
a: The location of all fire exits.
b: The location of all fire extinguishers.
c: The location of all eye wash stations.
d: A recommended path of egress.
e: The location of the meeting place outside the building.
Something that is often overlooked is to have a drill once a month. A real drill one in which you really do what you have planned. It's the best way to see if your plan will work or if it needs some fine tuning.
2. Emergency Phone numbers: This one is easy post the numbers on every phone in the shop so they are plainly visible.
3. Fire extinguishers, there are videos and training instructions for there use and most are ok but they cannot replace hands on experience. Fire extinguishers are not begin little things. If they are used incorrectly they can and will hurt you and fire will do things that you do not expect. Most fire departments can help you with classes I have included a copy of the handout I use with the classes I teach; it may be helpful. (SEE NEXT ARTICLE BELOW) If you have questions regarding safety you should contact your safety person or your supervisor.
FIRE EXTINGUISHERS FIGHT OR FLIGHT
Fire extinguishers have been around in one form or another for over 100 years. At one point they even used glass balls filled with extinguisher agent. You were supposed to throw them at the fire. Which is OK if you don't mind dodging flying glass and had a good arm. Fire extinguishers have come along way in the past 100 years. You no longer have to be a pitcher for a pro baseball team to use one. You do need to be trained to use them effectively and to keep yourself safe. Many fire departments will teach classes on Fire extinguishers which include controlled burns. This is the best option, hands on experience will teach you more than any article that I could Wright. Having said that I will try to give a working knowledge of fire extinguishers and there uses. Selecting the proper fire extinguisher for the fuel that is burning. There 3 classes of fire extinguishers in general use and each has its own uses.
Class A is for use on paper, wood and trash,
Class B is for use on flammable liquid i.e. gas lamp oil etc... ,
Class C is for use on electrical equipment.
Some fire extinguishers are rated for more than one class. The best for home use are rated A,B,C this will cover most of the common household threats electrical equipment should have the power turned off be for you attempt to extinguish any fire. Electrocution is a very real possibility if the power is not turned off.
After you select the proper fire extinguishers you need to use it properly a good way to remember how to use a fire extinguishers is to remember the word PASS:
P. Pull the pin.
A. Aim the nosily at the base of the fire.
S. Squeeze the handle
S. Sweep the fire side to side moving the fire away from you.
Something's for you to think about before you fight a fire are:
1. Can I really put this fire out with just 1 fire extinguisher? If not, leave now you are not a super hero just because you have a fire extinguisher.
2. Keep an exit to your back so you can escape if the fire gets to be more than you can handle.
3. Call the fire department before you start to fight the fire, and tell the dispatcher you intend to fight the fire and were you will be fighting it from. If you leave the building, tell the first firefighter when he arrive on the scene that you are out of the building.
4. You should only try to extinguish small fires. Be realistic, if your not sure you and extinguish the fire completely, then don't try. Your life is the only thing that is not replaceable.
New Article:
Last year was a very busy year for local fire departments. We have been called on to fight several large fires in the seacoast and seen some devastating fires in other towns many of them claiming lives. One recent fire in Newton MA claimed four lives and left a lot of questions. Did smoke detectors work properly? Were there adequate escape routes? Why didn't the building have sprinklers? The answer is, I don't know. People ask me what can I do to stay safe. The best advice I give is stay alert.
There are some things we should all try to notice or do whenever we enter a building:
1. As you approach the building form a general impression of the building. Does it look well cared for, are the doors unlocked with nothing blocking them. If it doesn't look safe it probably isn't and you should not be there.
2. As you enter the building, locate a second means of escape different from the way you came in. If there is a fire you won't have time to look around.
3. As you move through the building try to form a mental map of were you are and the quickest way to the fire escape.
4. Remember an elevator is not an escape route. In most new buildings the elevators go straight to the lobby, when the fire alarm is activated it remain there. You must use the stairs. This is very important, if you have a handicap that makes using stairs hard or impossible, don't rely on others to save you, have a plan to save yourself.
5. Don't stop to get your coat or pocket book, they and everything in them are replaceable you are not. If you are with a group try to stay together even when you get outside, if you stay in a group you can tell if someone didn't get out.
6. Remember those things you were tough in school or Fire Prevention classes.
7. Don't try to fight a fire unless you have been trained and have the right equipment, it is very easy to get trapped by a fire and most extinguishers will only last a very short time leaving you with no protection.
8. When you hear a fire alarm get out now. Don't wait to see smoke or for others to leave. In a fire time is precious and you may not have long till the smoke over comes you, the sooner you start the faster you get out.
One last word of warning you are responsible for your own safety does not count on others to take care of you. Plan ahead and react quickly and calmly. Be a survivor not a victim.
Please remember the six firefighters from Worcester who lost their lives trying to save others.
If you wish to contact me my e-mail address is fireman_dan@hotmail.com.
For most of us winter is a time to go skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling and lots of other cold weather activities. It's also a time when our world turns white with snow. Some of us consider it the most beautiful time of the year. It can also be a very dangerous time when exposure to the elements can prove debilitating or even life threatening. Please see below for several of the conditions brought on by the cold.
The first is Hypothermia (exposure); it is caused by our body's losing heat fast than it can be replaced resulting in a lowering of the body's core temperature. Elderly and poor people are very often found to be Hypothermic because they keep the heat set low to save money and don't eat well. A Hypothermic person will often show some of these symptoms:
*Apathy (not caring about anything) *Confusion *Drowsiness *Lack of Coordination *Slurred Speech *Weakness
A person suffering from hypothermia needs immediate medical attention at the emergency room of the nearest hospital. Here are some Do's and Don'ts while you wait for medical help:
1. Gently move the person inside to a warm environment. Handle them gently. A person who is hypothermic is at an increased risk of cardiac arrest. A cold heart is a cranky heart. 2. If inside in a warm environment remove wet clothing and wrap person in dry warm blanket, covering their head and neck. (never cover the face) 3. You may need to use your body heat to warm the victim. If so, both people should remove excess clothing and be wrapped in dry blankets. 4. Don't rub the extremities to warm them, this will only pump colder blood in to the core of the body. (a condition known as after drop) 5. Don't give alcohol to the person, it only causes the blood vessels to dilate and lower there core temperature even more. 6. Don't try to rewarm the person rapidly by placing them in hot water or a very hot room. This will warm them from the outside and will move cold blood to the core. Rewarming is best left to the hospital emergency room using warm IV therapy which warms from the inside core of the body.
Another common problem during this time of year is frostbite. Frostbite is caused when the blood and tissue freeze. There are several varying degrees of frostbite starting with mild frostnip where the skin appears pail and is numb to the touch. You may also experience difficulty holding small objects or performing fine tasks, it's like your hands experience a time delay.
This condition is easily treated by just warming the affected part of the body this is best done slowly and at room temp (68 to 72). Never place the effected body part in hot water or over heat source. The skin and tissues are very delicate and easily injured. Frostbite is the outer extreme of this condition and is considered life threatening and quite frequently results in amputations and other complications like gangrene and shock. A frostbitten exterminate may appear pail, almost waxen, swollen and will move with extreme difficulty or not at all. In it's extreme the effected area may even be dark blue or black.
This is a very serious condition and should be treated in the emergency room of the closest hospital when frozen extremity start to thaw it is extremely painful and totally incapacitating. In some instances it is best to leave it as is until you reach competent medical facility's who are able to control the pain and thawing process.
Both of these conditions are avoidable by following a few simple recommendations:
1. Dress appropriately, wear layers of lose fitting clothing to trap warm air. Wear a hat, you will lose heat from the top of your head faster than any other part of your body. Use mittens instead of gloves they will keep hands warmer.
2. Change wet clothing as soon as you can, water steals your body heat much faster than air.
3. When you know you will be out in the cold, eat a good meal to give your body enough fuel to stay warm.
4. Avoid alcohol the day before and while you are out in the cold. It only makes you more susceptible to the cold.
5. Don't leave bare skin exposed to the elements.
6. Wear a scarf over your nose and mouth. That way you are not inhaling cold air. Filling your lungs with cold air will increase your chances of Hypothermia.
7. Don't stay in cold environments longer than is necessary. Be sure that you are completely warmed before you go back into the cold.
8. If you know someone who is elderly or ill you should check on them at least 3 or 4 times every week or if the power goes out. If you can't check on them most police or fire departments will try to do "well being checks" if asked. Remember, they may be busy during major weather conditions, so use good judgement. If there is a problem with fuel cost, most states have full assistance programs. Your town welfare office can help you with all sorts of programs.
9. Never assume a person who is hypothermic with no pulse or respiration is dead. With cold water submersion or exposure people can be revived after lengthy periods when hypothermic.
As a teacher in the class I recently participated in puts it: "They're not dead till they are warm and dead."
The pictures show radiant heat very well. The fire went from left to right pushed by the wind. The fire investigator thinks that the fire started under the old wooden fire escape of the Old Salt (restaurant). The primary cause of ignition was smoking material that was improperly disposed of in regular trash. -Dan
Photographs courtesy of Fireman Dan. Incident date is 16 June 1999, Hampton Beach, New Hampshire.
By Fireman Dan
Every year countless people die and millions of dollars are lost to fire. Most of these fires are preventable. If we just make fire prevention part of our daily routine. It isn't difficult and it doesn't require years of training. To start all you need is common sense. Here are some things you can do in your daily routines.
1. Look around, if you see something that looks like a fire hazard fix it immediately. If for some reason you can't get to it promptly tell a supervisor or your safety person.
2. Keep your space clean and don't leave things piled up around your shop or home. Did you know a pile of oily rags cans spontaneously combust.
3. Make sure all smoking materials are extinguished and dispose of them in a separate metal container "not in your trash with the paper." A recent fire in a town near my own home was started by improperly extinguishing smoking material. It ended up destroying 3 buildings and put over 80 out of work.
4. Make Fire Prevention and Safety your job at work and home. Don't forget to check your smoke detector every week and change your battery every 6 months.
By Fireman Dan
Most of us know how to change a flat tire, replace a fuse or head light. We have learned to do Automotive First Aid. Likewise, we have learned Home First Aid, fixing things around the house that have broken, burned out or just don’t work. It’s just something we do to take care of the important things we have.
On the other hand, most of don’t know what to do during a medical emergency. Not even basic first aid, like controlling bleeding or C.P.R.. Most of us don’t know what to do, so we stand around and wait for the ambulance or fire dept. Remember, a five minute wait is a long time in a emergency!
Just a little training could save the life of a coworker, a spouse or a child. The American Red Cross, or your local hospital’s education department can help you with first aid and C.P.R. classes
Something you can do today is put together a first aid kit, one for your home and one for your car. Your office should already have one, if not, see your safety person or your supervisor.
Most drug stores sell first aid kits and they are ok, but I prefer to customize mine. Attached is a list that will get you started for around $ 20.
In later articles I will discuss C.P.R. and other first aid topics you should know. If you have questions that you would like my help with, you can e mail me at fireman_dan @hotmail.com
Until next month-
Dan
HOME AND AUTO FIRSTAID KIT
Although your kit should be tailored to fit your training this list will give you a good start.
1 Water proof container 12" x 12" x 6"
1 Roll of water proof tape one inch
4 Rolls of 4" wrap (Kling wrap)
20 4"x 4" gauze pads
4 4" trauma dressing
2 2"x 12" boards (like rulers)
1 Pair of sharp scissors
1 12oz bottle of water
2 Triangular bandages
1 Box of adhesive bandages
10 Wet & dry wipes
1 Pocket mask
1 Pen light
Just the other day a friend and I were talking, and she related a story that I found very interesting. It seems that the company she works for stages a fire drill once a month. Her boss, and most of her coworkers, including herself find them to be a great inconvenience and a waste of time. For the last several years they have just ignored them. The last drill they had was a little different. The alarm sounded and everyone in the office continued to work, saying "oh it's just a drill". After a little while, a coworker from down the hall came to the door of her office and said, in a loud voice," it's a real fire get out". My friend grabbed her belonging and headed for the front door. But by that time, the smoke was just above her head and the building was getting warm. As she turned the corner to the front of the building she saw that the receptionist cubical was on fire, and the fire was blocking the exit. Her office is in a very old section of a warehouse with very few sprinklers. Now, she had to make her way to the rear of the building through a maze of cubicles. She did this at what she describes as a sprint (others might call it a panic). Once outside she joined some coworkers who were standing around. The boss kept asking is everyone out? He did not know because employees were scattered all over the parking lot, and could not be accounted for. The fire department was forced to divert fire fighters from fire suppression to search and rescue because of the lack of accountability. In the end, one individual was rescued form the building confused and stunned, but uninjured. The fire was extinguished quickly, with damage limited to the one cubicle. THIS WAS ONE LUCKY GROUP OF PEOPLE! So remember IT'S NOT JUST A FIRE DRILL. It could be real and this type attitude could cost you more than a little time.
UNTIL NEXT MONTH REMEMBER TO CHECK YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS
Dan
As the holidays approach I would like to take some time to talk to you about some special safety concerns that accompany our displays and celebrations.
One of the most common things that we do this time of year is to over load electrical outlets. We use that cheap extension cord so we can plug more items into the same outlet. Then we hide the wire some place where it will not be seen. Most of us think that if the extension cord fails all that will happen is a blown fuse or breaker. This is not true a fuse or breaker will only trip or blow if you over load its rating. Most cheap extension cords will start to heat up with as little as 15 amps of continuous draw. Most fuses and breakers are rated at 20 to 30 amps. At 30 amps that extension cord we coiled up and shoved under something can over heat and fail. Never run extension cords under carpets or rugs as they wear very quickly. Failures of this type can ignite a fire under your tree that would spread rapidly and would be catastrophic.
Candles and other open flames are very dangerous. Candles should never be placed on trees regardless of how festive they may look. Adding an open flame to a fresh cut tree is asking for trouble. Those that can be very dangerous are the glass containers you fill with lamp oil and light a wick. If knocked over it becomes a firebomb. Open flames of any sort should be watched very closely and extinguished when you leave the room. Remember, if you have children they can become excited and may not see the candle or open flame.
Christmas trees are a big part of most of our celebrations and we hunt for that special tree. Here are some things to think of as you setup your tree.
1. Is it well away from open flames or heat sources like candles, fireplaces, or hot lights? 2. How hot do the lights on your tree get? If you cannot hold them in your hand for several minutes, then they are too hot for your tree. 3. Water your tree every day and if it loses its needles or dries out get it out of your home. A dry tree will burn explosively. 4. Do not block your fire escape route with your tree or decorations. If you have a fire you will not have time to move it.
One last thing that is with us all year, but seems to be worst at this time of the year is the impaired driver. Whether intoxicated or just over tired, they are a threat to all of us. So drive defensively and use your seat belt.
REMEMBER TO CHECK YOUR SMOKE DETECTOR
My family and I wish you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.
Dan
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