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Fire Prevention
Malvern Fire Company is actively involved in Fire Prevention within our community. Every Spring, we hold an open house which gives us the opportunity to let members of the community visit our fire house and learn about fire prevention, fire safety, and what being a Malvern Fire Company volunteer is all about. We spend the fall, specifically Fire Prevention Week visiting schools, churches and office buildings to educate the community on fire prevention.
Please take a moment to read through the information below, so that you may become familiar with it. The information below is very basic, and may seem simple, but reading through it even once may one day provide you with necessary information in a time of need. We encourage parents to familiarize their children with this information as well.
Smoke Detectors
Do you have at least one smoke detector on each level of your home? If not, It is highly recommended that you purchase one for each level of your home. Smoke alarms are inexpensive, and can be purchased at your local hardware store. Studies have shown that smoke alarms can double your chance of survival in the event of a fire.
It is important to make sure your smoke alarms are working properly. They should be kept clean, and tested monthly. It is also important to remember to change the batteries. We recommend you change the batteries any time you change your clocks (Spring forward, Fall back). Make sure to check the packaging on manual to find out how long your smoke detector's life span is. At the end of it's manufactured recommended life span, it is important to replace your smoke detector.
Fire Extinguishers
Do you have a fire extinguisher available at your home should you ever need one? It is recommended that you have at least one fire extinguisher in your home. Make sure it is properly charged and the bottle itself has been tested and deemed safe (Look for an inspection sticker or tag). There are many kinds of fire extinguishers, and they are given a letter, or combination of letters based on the types of fires they are designed to put out. For simplicity sake, we will list the 4 most common.
A - Ordinary combustibles, easy way to remember it: useable on a fire that produces Ash (paper, wood, etc)
B - Flammable liquids, easy way to remember it: useable on a fire if what's burning is stored in a Barrel(oil, gasoline, etc)
C - Electrical components, easy way to remember it: useable on a fire that involves Circuits.
D - Combustible Metals, commonly found in laboratories, can be used on metals like magnesium, titanium and potassium.
The two most common types of extinguisher to find in a personal residence are either an ABC extinguisher, or a BC extinguisher.
An ABC extinguisher is a dry chemical extinguisher that can be used on type A, B and C fires. One downside to this is that it will leave a chemical residue, which can be difficult to clean up, and can cause harm to electronics.
A BC extinguisher is a CO2 extinguisher. It can be used on type B and C fires, but may have difficulty extinguishing a type A fire.
It is important to check what kind of extinguisher you have and understand the types of fires it can be used for. If you have a question about your extinguisher, or what kind of extinguisher to buy, Call the station at 610-647-0693 for further guidance.
Stop Drop and Roll
In the event that your person, clothes or hair ever catch on fire, just remember one thing. Stop, Drop and Roll! For a fire to continue burning it needs a supply of oxygen. By dropping to the ground and rolling, you will smother the fire, preventing it from getting oxygen, and thus causing it to go out.
Remember; never attempt to take off a piece of burning clothing. Often times you will do more damage than good. The possibility exists for you to spread the fire, or burn your face for instance, if you are attempting to take a shirt off over your head.
Escape Plan
Having an escape plan from your home, could one day prove to save your life. It is important to develop an escape plan and review it periodically so that in the event of a fire, you have a predetermined plan for exiting your residence. It is especially important to develop a plan, review and practice it with your children if you have any. Children do not think like adults, and thus in case of a fire children may be more prone to hide than to try and leave the house. A good escape plan should have several means of exit from everywhere in the house. The reason for this is that you don't know where you will be when the fire starts, and you don't know where the fire will start.
Lay out your house on a piece of paper and consider all the places you might need to escape from. Develop a plan for how you will exit your house. Out the front door is a good plan, bu what happens if you cannot make it down the stairs due to heat and smoke? Do you have a means of exiting through a window on an upper floor? Perhaps a rope escape ladder would be a wise purchase.
Once you make it out of your house, it is essential to devise a meeting place where everyone is to meet up. Many families use the mailbox for this purpose. This is important because this will ultimately help you determine whether everyone in the house was able to escape.
Electrical Saftey
The U.S. Fire Administration reports that in a typical year, electrical problems account for about 67,400 fires, 485 deaths and $868 million in property dammage. Identified below are the primary issues that could lead to electrical fires as well as some precautionary steps to follow to minimize the risk of an electrical fire.
The majority of electrical fires result from problems with "fixed" wiring. Many times this means a faulty electrical outlet or old wiring. cords and plugs such as those found on appliance cords or extension cords also cause many home electrical fires.
Many avoidable electrical fires can be traced to misuse of electric cordoverloading circuitsm poor maintenance and running the cords under rugs or in high traffic areas
Below is a list of precatuions you can take to maximize the safety in your home or work place.
- Routinely check your electrical appliances and wiring.
- Frayed wires can cause fires. Replace all worn, old or damaged appliance cords immediately.
- Use electrical extension cords wisely and don't overload them.
- Keep electrical appliances away from wet floors and counters; pay special care to electrical appliances in the bathroom and kitchen
- When buying electrical appliances look for products evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).
- Don't allow children to play with or around electrical appliances like space heaters, irons and hair dryers.
- Keep clothes, curtains and other potentially combustible items at least three feet from all heaters.
- If an appliance has a three prong plug, use it only in a three-slot outlet. Never force it to fit into a two-slot outlet or extension cord.
- Never overload extension cords or wall sockets. Immediately shut off, then professionally replace light switches that are hot to the touch and lights that flicker. Use safety closures to "child-proof" electrical outlets.
Calling 911
In the time of an emergency, whether you require the police, fire department, an ambulance, or a combination of the three, the best way to get help is by dialing 911. It is important to remember to stay calm while on the phone with the 911 operator. Though you may be in a hectic situation, the operator cannot help you if he/she cannot understand you.
If you are phoneing in a fire, the operator will ask you a number of questions that you will need to answer to the best of your ability. Some things the operator may ask for:
- Your name and address
- Location of the fire
- Conditions (Smoke? Fire? Odor?)
- If it is a structure, is it occupied?
- Exposure Risks (Is there anything close by that the fire can spread to?)
If you are phoneing in a call for an ambulance, likewise with phoneing in a fire, the operator will ask you a series of questions that you will need to answer to the best of your ability. Some things the operator may ask for:
- Your name and address
- Location of the sick or injured person
- Age and any known medical history of sick or injured person
- How and when did this person become injured or sick?
- Are there any potential risks to responders coming to render aid?
It is important to remain on the line with the operator until they inform you it is okay to disconnect. If you disconnect before they tell you to do so, you may be unknowingly witholding crucial information that will help the operator help you.
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