Fire Safety / How to Effectively Use a Fire Extinguisher

Nobody likes to imagine they would be put in an emergency situation and not know what to do. As a training exercise we often imagine in our head the steps we would take or what we need to do to help out. Frequently, in this thought exercise people consider a fire outbreak. Unfortunately, people feel fully prepared by simply confirming the location of fire extinguishers and reading how to activate the device. This is all well and good but often the question of how to actually employ the device is overlooked. There are specific techniques to utilize when fighting a fire and not adhering to them can cause your efforts to be entirely ineffective. That can be a scary thought!

In order to properly employ a fire extinguisher, remove it from its storage spot, aim it away from yourself and pull the pin. The device is now ready to use.

Get as close to the flames as you can without risking your own safety. Aim the extinguisher at the base of the flame where it meets whatever fuel source it is burning. A fire can flame up very high and it can be tempting to aim at this mass. Doing so is completely ineffective as the extinguishing agent simply passes through the flame. By aiming at the base of the fire you are covering the fuel source and preventing the fire from burning.

Sweep the extinguisher from side to side to cover the entire base of the fire. Only extinguishing a section of the fuel source will not stop the fire. Additionally, walk closer to the fire as it is going out to ensure of maximum effect. Again, do not compromise your safety while doing so.

Additionally, be certain to let go of the extinguisher handle once the fire is out. This might seem obvious but it is not uncommon for an extinguisher to have about ten seconds of extinguishing agent. You could run out of extinguishing agent if you have to fight a second flame and don't release while moving to the new fire.

Finally, before using the extinguisher, make sure it is rated for the type of fire you have. Not all extinguishers work for all fuel types. Check the labels and make sure you have an appropriate extinguisher before applying it to a flame.

Hopefully, these tip will help you effectively put out any fire you might have to fight. But lets hope you never have to use this skill!

For more information on fire extinguishers visit http://www.BrothersFire.com.

Article independently authored by Eric Parish. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Brothers Fire.

Fire Alarms and Suppression - What Types of Control Panels May Be Installed in a Commercial Facility

Fire alarms vary in complexity and control. There are basically four types of fire alarm control panels. The original and simplest fire alarm control panels were coded panels. These panels gave way to newer electronic conventional control panels. Multiplex panels were the transition from conventional control panels to modern day addressable fire alarm control panels. Coded and conventional control panels are not utilized today unless "grandfathered".

Conventional fire alarm control panels will show an alarm in a generalized zone when a signaling device has been activated, such as smoke detector or pull station. These panels were not able to provide specific details as to which signaling device was tripped and in what specific room, In this instance, every individual extinguishing device, such as a fire sprinkler head, would be activated thereby flooding an entire zone. The majority of small businesses, older schools or hospitals and retail shopping centers were commonly set up with this type of system.

While prior systems were only able to notify the user of a fire in a generalized zone, the functionality of addressable control panels were now able to pinpoint which individual or multiple signaling devices have been activated, such as a pull station or smoke detector. Addressable fire alarm systems used today are essentially a computer network which communicates with each individual signaling device, sensor and even additional panels.

It is quite common for modern day fire alarm control systems to make use of multiple control panels due to the complexity and needs of a commercial facility or business. A typical example would be to have multiple buildings of a facility have their own panels, which could detect input signals from specific smoke detectors or other signaling device. These panels would then activate a different panel which governs the output of particular extinguishing devices. By activating only one or a few specific sprinkler heads other areas of the property or sensitive records can be spared the damaging effects of flooding. A supervisory control panel or monitor station would normally be used to keep tabs on all individual panels.

While fire sprinklers are usually the most common extinguishing device used, there are several other methods for extinguishing fires. Depending upon the particular nature of the building and business, a system which does not rely on water as an extinguishing agent may be preferred. An example of this scenario would be a fire occurring in a computer data center or parts of a chemical plant.

New construction will allow the fire alarm company to truly customize the fire alarm and suppression system. There is usually not a situation with multiple brands of panels being installed. Where a challenge arises is when there is an existing fire control system. Many brands use proprietary standards and may not be able to communicate with other differing brands of equipment.

Over simplified as this summary is, a professional fire alarm company will be able to recommend and install a system which will fulfill the exact needs of the corporation or commercial facility. Planning is the key to providing a safe environment. While more complex fire alarms and suppression systems will incur a higher cost, the overall expense could be much worse without the proper system in place.

For more information on the topic of fire safety and fire alarms, please visit http://www.brothersfire.com.

Article independently authored by Daniel Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Brothers Fire.

Fire Alarms & Fire Protection Learn How to Avoid Death and Injury If Your House is on Fire

We all know of people that have had their home burn to the ground. It is a horrible thing to have happen but what would you do if your home caught on fire? Do you know how to react or what actions to take? Does your family? A little preparation and discussion of what to do can go a long way toward making sure your family survives a house fire.

The first thing to discuss and explore are escape routes. Does everybody know all the ways to get out of the house? Is it possible to climb out a window and escape via the roof. This is not a normal exit but could work during a fire. Are there routes that have challenges such as doors that stick and are inoperable by children. Are there routes that could work if an escape ladder were kept nearby? Explore your home and educate everybody on all the ways to exit the home. Also, be sure to designate who will help children or the elderly in the event of a fire.

If you do find yourself in a blaze and need to escape, it is imperative move cautiously and be aware of your surroundings. For instance, don't just open a door automatically as you would ordinarily do. There could be a raging fire on the other side and door is preventing it from reaching you. Before opening, check for smoke seeping under the door or around the edge. If you see smoke do not open the door and find a different route. Likewise, do not open any door that is hot or very warm. Opening a door under these circumstances can alter air flow and cause a smoldering fire to burst into an inferno.

Most people are killed by smoke and fumes during a fire and not the actual blaze. Drop to your knees and crawl along the floor if you find yourself in a smoke filled environment. Smoke rises and there is typically a foot or two of smoke free air just above the floor. Cover you mouth and nose with a wet cloth if possible. This will act as a filter and provide greater protection from the smoke.

Be sure that you have established a rally point for everybody to congregate once out of the house. In this fashion, you will know if somebody is missing. Call the fire department once you have reached this point. Do not call from within the house as this will delay your exit and increase your risk of harm.

Be sure to discuss with your children that they should not hide under furniture or other objects. This make it harder to locate them. Children should remain in the open or near a window when possible.

Finally, practice your home fire drill quarterly. Everybody should be able to exit within three minutes. Be certain to vary the drill by imagining that certain escape routes are blocked. Also, practice how to deploy and use escape ladders so that it is second nature. Trying to figure out how to use the device during an emergency is clearly to be avoided.

With a little practice and discussion, you can make your family more safe and provide peace-of-mind. Don't delay and risk being a sad story on the nightly news - start today!

Visit http://www.brothersfire.com to learn more on this topic and for information of fire safety equipment.

Article independently authored by Eric Parish. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Brothers Fire.

Fire Sprinkler Systems and Alarms - What to Do When the System Has Received Possible Damage

Fire sprinkler systems can be exceptionally complex to design and construct. Like every mechanical machine, routine maintenance and inspections need to be performed on the fire sprinkler system and fire alarm system in order to ensure that these systems are functioning at 100% effectiveness. Although every state requires regular inspections, there are times and reasons when a sprinkler system needs to be serviced outside of the regular state mandated inspections. There are several different factors that will determine when this is necessary.

Different buildings will be used for different purposes. A manufacturing plant will have specific requirements for the type of fire suppression system than what a computer data center will need. Where there can be a large oversight is when a building which was used for one purpose is then adapted to another. Retail shopping centers and warehouses often fall into this category. If there is not a review or inspection of the existing fire sprinkler system, when it is mostly needed it may very well prove to be insufficient.

Depending on the region of the country, certain areas with different climates can pose potential problems. While the southeast is prone to hurricane damage or the west coast vulnerable to earthquake damage, the northern and Midwestern states, such as Minnesota, are prone to damage due to subzero temperatures. The most commonly installed wet pipe sprinkler systems are more susceptible to damage by freezing temperatures. When the water in a wet pipe system freezes, expansion will take place. The added pressure on the joints and heads can cause cracks.

Another very common problem is due to the carelessness of an employee or equipment hitting a sprinkler head or other parts of the system. Ongoing nearby construction and forklifts can be apparent culprits. Damage of this type can prevent the head from spraying or spray uncontrollably, which can cause the system to malfunction. In either case, a service professional will need to be called to affect repairs.

It may be recommended that sprinkler heads which are subjected to elevated heat sources such as heaters, construction lighting, or skylights, may need to be replaced with heads rated for higher heat tolerances. Under no circumstances should an employee, manager or business owner attempt to repair the system themselves.

Any damage that may be present will not usually be readily apparent until the system is needed and it is too late. Repairing or replacing fire sprinkler components should only be performed by trained experts. Any attempt to repair a system without the proper training and experience can result in disastrous effects. If an individual attempts to repair or make any adjustments to a fire sprinkler system without the proper certification and permission, some ordinances dictate that the individual is guilty of tampering with a fire control device which is classified as a felony in many jurisdictions. At the very least, the penalty will be several hundred dollars and perhaps result in a person's death in the event of a fire.

For additional information on the topic of commercial fire alarms and commercial fire suppression systems. Please visit http://www.brothersfire.com. Article independently authored by Daniel P Elliott. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Brothers Fire.