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Fire Safety

The list below is some general information on Fire Safety provided by the late Fire Marshall of O'Hara Township, George J. Sacco, Sr.:  top

Click these topics:
Fire Kills
Take Care of Your Smoke Detector and It Will Take Care of You
Know the Odds: Why CPR is Important
Fifty Commandments of Fire Safety

Fire Kills
Fire Marshall Sacco gathered these statistics from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and National Fire Protection Association Reports.

  1. Children under five years of age have a two times greater than average risk of death by fire.
  2. People 65 and older have double the average risk of death by fire.
  3. Cigarettes are the leading cause of multiple death by fire.
  4. Faulty wiring, overloaded electrical equipment, wood-burning stoves, and furnaces, lighters, matches and portable heaters are other major causes of household fires.
  5. The majority of fatal fires occur between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. when many families are asleep and least likely to smell smoke.
  6.  Approximately 90% of fire deaths occur from smoke and gases--not fire.

This powerful information should motivate all of us to consider fire safety a top priority in our homes. Make sure smoke detectors are installed on each floor, in the basement and bedrooms.

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Take Care of Your Smoke Detector and It Will Take Care of You

According to the National Fire Protection Association, the main reason for non-operational smoke alarms is dead or missing batteries. Caring for smoke alarms is fast and easy!

  1. Test alarms weekly.
  2. Replace batteries twice a year (when turning the clocks back and forward).
  3. Vacuum the outside cover regularly to remove dust and dirt particles.
  4. BE SAFE...REPLACE! Smoke alarms which are ten or more years old should be replace.

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Know the Odds: Why CPR is Important 

All residents should obtain CPR training. It could save a life. Here are the chances of recovery for a person who is not breathing:

  1. 1 minute after breathing stops, 98 out of 100
  2. 2 minutes after breathing stops, 92 out of 100
  3. 3 minutes after breathing stops, 72 out of 100
  4. 4 minutes after breathing stops, 50 out of 100
  5. 5 minutes after breathing stops, 25 out of 100
  6. 6 minutes after breathing stops, 11 out of 100
  7. 7 minutes after breathing stops, 8 out of 100
  8. 8 minutes after breathing stops, 5 out of 100
  9. 9 minutes after breathing stops, 2 out of 100
  10. 10 minutes after breathing stops, 1 out of 100
  11. 11 minutes after breathing stops, 1 out of 1,000
  12. 12 minutes after breathing stops, 1 out of 10,000

A person can be unconscious and breathing or unconscious and not breathing. If a person has stopped breathing for a period of 8 minutes or more, in most cases there will be brain damage.

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Fifty Commandments of Fire Safety 

  1. Thou shalt not smoke in bed for thy cannot smell smoke in your sleep. The ashes that fall on the floor may be thine own.
  2. Thou shalt remove flammable and combustible materials from your home for a fire cannot occur if there is nothing there to burn.
  3. Thou shalt have a 5 pound ABC fire extinguisher installed near thy kitchen and in thy automobile (not in the trunk).
  4. Thou shalt close bedroom doors at night and when possible thou shalt close all doors, for it retards the spread of smoke and fire.
  5. Thou shalt back up electrical smoke detectors with battery-type smoke detectors for some fires cause a failure in the electrical systems.
  6. Thou shalt install smoke detectors on each floor, in thy cellar and also one in thy bedrooms.
  7. Thou shalt perform proper maintenance on thy smoke detectors. Thou will vacuum thy detectors and change batteries twice a year in the spring and fall (when the time is changed) and thou shalt check them with smoke.
  8. Thou shalt install detectors on the ceiling. If installed on the wall, thou shalt stay at least four (4") inches down from the corner of the ceiling.
  9. Thou shalt remember that artificial Christmas trees are safer than a live Christmas tree.
  10. If you smell gas, thou shalt open doors on the way out, and call the Fire Department from next door.  Thou shalt not throw switches or use the phone in thine own home.
  11. Thou shalt not use a fuse or circuit breaker higher than 15 amperes in thine lighting circuits.
  12. Thou shalt not heat thine building with the gas oven in your kitchen for it has no flue.
  13. If thine clothes catches fire, thou shalt not run, thou shall roll on the floor.
  14. If grease in your skillet catches fire, thou shall shut off thy burner and use a lid or a fire extinguisher, thou shalt not apply water. Call the Fire Department.
  15. Thou shalt buy a good carbon monoxide detector and read the directions. Thy cannot smell carbon monoxide at any time.
  16. Thou shall clean lint from thine clothes dryer daily and vent the dryer.
  17. Thou shalt not fill gasoline cans in the trunk of thine car. (Static sparks.)
  18. Thou shalt not lock or block exit doors from the inside.
  19. Thou shall discard frayed or broken wires.
  20. Thou shalt not use indoor Christmas lights outdoors for indoor lights are not water resistant.
  21. Thou shalt not permit and shall prevent children playing with matches or a cigarette lighter for it can be disastrous.
  22. Thou shalt place a safety screen in front of thy fireplace when in use.
  23. Thou shalt not go back into a burning structure.
  24. Thou shalt plan on two ways to exit thine home in case of a fire.
  25. Thou shalt make sure that when purchasing an appliance, it has an U.L. Label on it.
  26. Thou shalt clean the screen or filter in thine stove exhaust for it can catch fire if grease is not removed.
  27. Thou shalt not store oil based paints near the furnace, it is better outside in the garage.
  28. Thou shalt not store any combustibles within three (3') feet of thy furnace or other heating devices.
  29. Thou shalt not leave thy vehicle running in the garage, even if garage doors are open.
  30. Thou shalt not clean with gasoline, for it was made to explode in an internal combustion engine.
  31. Thou shalt remember to turn off inside Christmas tree lights before going out or retiring.
  32. Thou shalt know where the electrical circuits can be turned off in case of a malfunction.
  33. If you are involved in a vehicle accident, thou shalt shut the ignition switch off immediately.
  34. Thou shalt purchase gasoline cans, only with a U.L. Label on it.
  35. Thou shalt not run extension cords under rugs.
  36. Thou shalt not store propane tanks for grills indoors.
  37. Thou shalt know the emergency numbers (911) to call thy Fire, Police, or ambulance.
  38. Thou shalt have newly-installed wood burning stoves inspected and approved prior to using.
  39. Thou shalt use a metal container when removing ashes.
  40. If a fire erupts, thou shalt get everyone out and call the fire department from next door.
  41. Thou shalt never leave children home alone.
  42. Thou shalt plan and practice exit drills.
  43. Thou shalt learn how to use a fire extinguisher.
  44. Thou shalt not empty hot cigarette ashes into a waste paper basket.
  45. Thou shalt not put foam rubber items in thy clothes dryer.
  46. Thou shalt learn where thine gas shut offs are, inside and outside.
  47. Thou shalt not plug air conditioners into lighting circuits.
  48. Thou shalt dispose of oily ,greasy paint smeared rags, in order to guard against spontaneous combustion.
  49. Thou shalt not use electric lights on a metallic Christmas tree.
  50. Thou shalt remember- Fire or accidents do not happen but are caused by something or someone.

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