Can’t believe this is the last day of September!  I hope the days are getting a little cooler where you are, and that you are enjoying crisp, cool mornings!

There are so many safety topics that we will cover in October.  Because October is Fire Safety Month, and Fire Prevention Month, we will be talking about many of the ways that we can make our homes and workplaces “fire-proof.”

October is Animal Safety and Protection Month.  As an animal lover, it is particularly important to me that we all keep our pets as healthy and safe as possible.

National Cyber Safety Awareness Month is observed in October.  We all have heard of the horrible things that can occur because of persons that abuse the use of computers to do things that are unspeakable.  Whether it is personal identity theft, or harrassment, using a computer as a tool to harm others is unacceptable.

Another observance for October is Helmet Safety Month.  We talk a lot about the dangers of sports activities and work duties that are involved when a helmet or hardhat is not worn.  Please be sure your kids wear those helmets when riding their bikes to school!

I think there’s even a Drive Safely Work Week in October, so looks like I have plenty of work ahead of me! 

A very important occasion for families is Halloween, especially if there’s little spooks involved.  Start making your plans now for a safe one for all concerned.  Map out the route you plan to take the kids, and go with them on that busy night.

Until tomorrow, enjoy your last day of September, 2010.

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National Fire Prevention Month, which officially began in 1922, in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, has been the longest public safety and health campaign in United States history.  The National Fire Protection Association has designated the week of October 4 – 10, 2009, as National Fire Prevention Week, with its focus on burn awareness and prevention, as well as keeping homes safe from fires.  This year’s theme is “Stay Fire Smart! Don’t Get Burned!”

Here are some facts from the NFPA regarding home fires in 2008 in the United States:

• There were 386,500 home fires, resulting in 2,755 deaths.

• Fire departments responded to home fires every 81 seconds.

• The kitchen is the leading area of origin for home fires.

• Unattended cooking is one of the main causes.

• Bedrooms and family/living rooms are the area of origin in home fires that result in death.

• Smoking materials cause 1 in 4 fire deaths in the U.S.

• One of four victims of fatal smoking-related fires is not the person who started the fire.

• Furniture, mattresses, or bedding are usually the materials that catch on fire from someone smoking carelessly.

• Space heaters cause far more fires and loss than central heat; the main reason is there are materials too close to them that can burn.

• Electrical wiring, switches, outlets, lamps, light fixtures, and lighting equipment are also major causes of home fires.

• Smoke alarms can cut your chances of dying in half in a reported fire.  It has been found that in more than one-half of responses to house fires, smoke alarms were present, but had no batteries, or had been dismantled because of their noise.

• Not enough American households have a fire escape plan and practice it.

• There were 320 deaths and $542 million in property loss last year as a result of intentionally set home structure fires.  One-half of the people arrested for arson were under age 18.

We hope these facts make you a little more aware of the danger and destruction of home fires.

I have seen first hand in our own neighborhood, the result of a person’s smoking and falling asleep: he died, as well as two innocent persons in the home, his wife and grandchild.  Many of the firefighters were young men, and had not had to deal with death from a fire before this happened.  It was a very devastating time for the family, firemen, and community.

Other articles you may wish to review are “Don’t Get Burned”, “Preventing Home Cooking Fires”, and “Fire Extinguishers”, which you may find helpful.

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The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported that in 2005, an estimated 164,400 reported U.S. home structure fires involving cooking equipment resulted in 480 deaths, 4,690 civilian injuries, and $876 million in direct property damage.

The kitchen is the main area in the home where fires occur. The following is good advice to follow to minimize the chances of one starting in your kitchen:

• Never leave cooking unattended.

• Keep towels, pot holders and other flammable items away from stove surfaces.

• Loose clothing can catch fire.  Wear short or close fitting sleeves.

• Plugging too many appliances into the same outlet may start an electrical fire.

• Keep cooking surfaces clean to prevent food and grease build-up.

• Turn handles of pans inward to prevent food spills, or small children reaching up for them.

• Replace any cracked or frayed cords on appliances.

If you have a cooking fire in your kitchen:

• Slide a pan lid over flames to smother a grease or oil fire, then turn off the heat and leave the lid in place until the pan cools. Never carry the pan outside.

• Keep the oven door shut and turn off the heat to smother an oven or broiler fire.

• For a microwave fire, keep the door closed and unplug the microwave. Call the fire department and make sure to have the oven serviced before you use it again.

• Make sure you have a multipurpose ABC rated extinguisher in the kitchen and know how to use it.

• Evacuate the area and call the fire department immediately if the fire does not go out quickly.

NY State Office of Fire Prevention

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Before Fire Prevention Month (October) ends, we want to share some information on fire extinguishers.  Portable fire extinguishers apply an agent that:  either cools burning fuel, removes oxygen, or stops chemical reactions, so the fire cannot continue to burn.  Along with heat, these four elements must be present at the same time to cause a fire to exist.

All fire extinguishers must be approved by a recognized testing laboratory to be in compliance with correct standards for appropriate types of fires.  They are then labeled and
given an alphabetic-numeric class, based on type and size of fire they are extinguishing.

Fire extinguishers work much like a can of hair spray.  They contain pressurized water, CO2 (carbon dioxide), or dry chemical.  To help understand the type of extinguisher you need, here are types of fires:

• Type A:  Fires in paper, cloth, wood, rubber, and many plastics require water-type extinguishers.  Never use water to extinguish flammable liquid fires or electrical fires.

• Type B:  Fires from flammable liquids such as oils, gasoline, some paints, lacquers, grease and solvents need the carbon dioxide-type extinguishers.

• Type C:  Fires of electrical equipment such as fuse boxes, energized electrical equipment, computers or others with electric sources need to be extinguished with ones that contain dry chemicals.  (Electrical equipment must be unplugged before using water-type extinguishers.)

Multi-Purpose fire extinguishers contain dry chemicals and are suitable for type A-B-C fires.
They come in a red container and weigh from 5 to 20 pounds.  When choosing a proper fire extinguisher for your particular needs, remember to select one that isn’t too heavy for the person who would be using it.  There are other types of fire extinguishers for different needs, such as restaurants or industrial fires.

Portable fire extinguishers are good for containing small fires; however, we must have a good fire exit plan and know when to leave.  To use the fire extinguisher properly, keep PASS instructions in mind:

Pull the pin.
Aim low. Point to the base of the fire.
Squeeze lever slowly and evenly.
Sweep nozzle from side to side.

Fire extinguishers should be checked monthly.  Be sure the pressure is fully charged, by inspecting the gauge needle, which should always be in the green zone.  Gently rock extinguisher from top to bottom to ensure powder isn’t packed.

Remember to be ready to make your exit if the fire is not quickly contained.  If you have questions on the operation of your extinguisher, most local fire departments will be glad to give you instructions on its correct use.

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The week of October 5 through 11, 2008, has passed, which was National Fire Prevention Week, but the whole month of October focuses on fire prevention, so it’s never too late to talk about fire safety!
October 8th, 1871, the Great Chicago Fire occurred.  The theory of Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicking over the lantern being the cause of this enormous fire was later disproved, when Michael Ahern, a reporter for the Chicago Republican admitted he had made up the story to enhance his article.  It did begin in a shed owned by the O’Leary’s, and there are a number of theories about the cause of the fire.

At that time, Chicago was made up of mostly wooden buildings, even sidewalks, and there had been a terrible drought that summer and fall.  Estimates are that around 300 people died as the result of this fire, which covered 4 miles length and one-half a mile wide.  The fire burned from October 8 to October 10, when it finally began to rain.  Firefighters did their best to combat the inferno, which left around 90,000 residents homeless.

October 8, 1920, President Woodrow Wilson declared the First National Fire Prevention Day.  National Fire Prevention Month, which officially began in 1922, in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire, has been the longest public safety and health campaign in United States history.

The National Fire Prevention Association released the following statistics for 2007:

• 17,675 civilian individuals were injured due to fire

• 3,430 civilians lost their lives as a result of fire

• 118 firefighters killed in the line of duty

• $14.6 billion in property loss

• 32,500 structural fires were intentionally set, causing 295 deaths

• Intentionally set fires caused an estimated $733 million in property damage

• 1.6 million fires reported

Fire Departments throughout the United States give demonstrations during Fire Prevention Month telling students and the public all about fire trucks, what firefighters wear, how to prevent brush and forest fires, and what to do in case of fire.

Our next installment will be about fire extinguishers, when to use them, and when not to use them!  Stay tuned……………………

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