Tag Archives: fire alarms

General Safety Issues

HOW TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR HOME FROM FIRE (GUEST POST)

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Fire is  extremely dangerous;  unfortunately, the destruction and devastation it can cause is often underestimated.  Always take the correct precautions  to help ensure that you and others are not injured should a fire occur.

Below are five tips to keep you and your home fire free:

 1.Equip your home against small house fires

It is crucial that your home is equipped to put out small fires that may occur in your home. The best way to ensure that you are equipped against small house fires is to fit fire extinguishers and fire blankets in the kitchen and any other rooms in the house that a fire would most likely start. For instance, place fire extinguishers near any fireplaces you may have in your home. To help equip your home further, fit fire doors throughout. By doing so it will help contain any fires and stop them from spreading throughout your home. 

2.Become educated in how to extinguish fires

After having fire extinguishers and blankets fitted,  it is advised that you read all instructions carefully and seek advice where needed about how to extinguish different types of fires. Many people are unaware that different types of fires should be extinguished using different types of fire extinguishers. If the wrong type of fire extinguisher is used it can have disastrous effects and as a direct result the fire could spread further and quicker. 

3.Pay attention in the kitchen and do not leave hob (stove) unattended

A large majority of house fires start in the kitchen. Many of these fires are due to negligence and leaving pans unattended on the hob. The best way to combat this is by never leaving the hob (stove) unattended and being vigilant of oven cooking times. When finished cooking it is vital to check that all hobs and the oven are switched off before leaving the kitchen.

  4.Fit and check regularly, the fire alarms throughout your home

In the unlikely event of a fire, the fire alarm will be able to alert you. If you are sleeping and a fire starts in your home you will need to be alerted by a fire alarm or there is a good chance that you will not wake and may become overwhelmed by the fires smoke. If you or anyone else in your family is deaf or hard of hearing they may not be woken by the sound of a fire alarm. With advance in technology now fire alarms are being produced that are able to wake the deaf and hard hearing in the unfortunate event of a fire. These types of fire alarms such as the Deafgard are able to wake the deaf and hard hearing through vibrations and high density flashing lights. 

5.Fully extinguish all cigarettes

Although the smoking ban has meant that many people can no longer smoke inside in public places, many people still do smoke inside in the privacy of their own home. Cigarettes can easily ignite a fire if left unattended. If you do smoke inside your own home always check that your cigarette is fully out when finished and never leave a lit cigarette unattended in the home.

Finally in the event of any fire in the home that is out of control always remember to dial 999 immediately.  (In the U.S., call 9-1-1.)

Our thanks to George Tester of  Deafgard for sending this fire safety information.  It is comforting to know that there are fire alerts that can warn those who are hard of hearing or deaf when there may be fire in their homes.  The same fire safety info would apply to offices and other industries that should have the correct amount of fire extinguishers on hand, and employees trained in their use. pb

 
General Safety Issues, Home Safety Products

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FIRE ALARMS AND SMOKE ALARMS? (GUEST POST)

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Alarms are the first line of defence in the event of a fire. They act as an early warning sign giving you the chance to evacuate premises and escape any fire-related danger.  Everyone wants to protect their homes and by law, any facility used for a commercial purpose must protect those that work inside it, but there is often some confusion as to the difference between a fire alarm and a smoke alarm.

Well, the clue really is in the title. One detects smoke, and the other detects fire. But as the saying goes, there is no smoke without fire, so both are equally important. In fact, more people will suffer from inhalation of smoke than they will from fire burns. Here’s why the two are so different and where they are best suited:

Smoke alarms

What are they?

Smoke alarms are devices that are able to detect smoke or fire, giving an audible alarm as a result. They are fantastic at detecting a fire in its early stages, allowing you adequate warning to evacuate before inhaling any harmful gases.  Smoke inhalation is the primary cause of fatality when it comes to fire-related deaths. In fact, in the majority of cases, the victims are asleep when the smoke enters their lungs, cementing the absolute requirement for smoke alarms.

What are the benefits?

Because they are simple yet effective, they are ideal for domestic use. Ideally, one should be placed on each level of the home, and in particular where you can hear it from the bedroom. It is advisable not to place them in areas that may cause frequent activation such as the kitchen or bathroom.

Many of these can be combined with carbon monoxide detectors. Carbon Monoxide is an odourless, tasteless and invisible gas, meaning you can be killed by it before you even know it existed. Combined smoke alarms can protect from this as well as smoke particles. 

Smoke detectors are the most basic device available on the market and are cheap additions to a building considering their vital role. They are best suited for homes, where people can exit the property quickly and easily. 

Fire alarms

What are they?

A fire alarm detects the presence of fire by monitoring the changes in environment associated with combustion. This can include the detection of smoke which is why they are commonly confused with smoke alarms.

In commercial environments, where fire alarms are best suited, if you employ more than five people, you need to have a written record of your fire assessment by law. This will affect how many fire alarms are required and what fire precautions should be made in order to protect the facility and its staff.

What are the benefits? 

Fire alarms can be linked with other systems making for an efficient and safer system. For example, when a fire alarm is triggered, sprinkler systems can be activated, or the local fire station can be alerted.

For this reason, and for their ability to be more complex, fire alarms are generally not used in domestic environments.   

When you consider how much damage could be prevented, and how many lives are saved a year from their simple installation, their cost is minimal in comparison. 

Author Bio: 

Karen Asbury is Firemart’s Fire Safety Expert. Firemart are an online fire safety equipment retailer in the UK.

 We appreciate this informative article regarding the importance of  fire alarms  in large buildings, hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, schools, theaters, and places of work where many lives are involved.  Let this also be a reminder to keep your smoke detectors working, by checking the batteries every so often. pb