Fire-prevention month is being celebrated in the Philippines every March. This month is especially selected because this is the time of the year with the highest tallied fire incidents in the country. March is when the country is apparently at its warmest.
Seize the opportunity should the BFP offers fire safety awareness program in your location. They give valuable fire prevention techniques and fire safety protection. The knowledge that they provide is truly worth your time.
To help our mighty fire officers from the Bureau of Fire Protection, we decided to create a post about fire prevention and fire safety.
Prevent fire from spreading by stacking a handy fire extinguisher here. Car fire extinguisher here.
Here is the list of fire preventive measures to keep your house away from disastrous fire.
- Ensure That Your House Planning and Construction Adheres to Fire Safety Protocols
Main reason why building permit and other building documents are required before construction of building for this reason. A house or commercial establishment should be well-built, sound, and it has to have access in case of fire emergencies. Certain parts of a house are intended for emergency evacuation should there be fire incidents and only professionals can give you advice about where to locate these.
Be sure to approach the right professionals when building and planning your homes. This is an investment that can never go wrong.
- Use Quality and Non-substandard Construction Materials
Quality materials [not necessarily the most expensive ones] passed certain tests and have undergone proper manufacturing processes. These quality tests check if the material can withstand the pressure, load, rating, or whatever unit of measurement a material will be subjected into.
On the other hand, substandard material, as the word entails, is substandard. Meaning, it wasn’t subjected to quality tests which proves it is even safe for use. How do you know if one is a quality material and one is sub-standard? Ask the supplier for certificates. If the supplier can show you legitimate certificates for those tests, then, you should be fine. Second obvious sign for substandard material is the price. If the cost of the construction material is too low compared to the average market price, then most likely, that material is an imitation or substandard.
- Do Not Overload Electric Circuits
Electric outlet has certain electrical load it can carry. High powered appliances that require higher power normally have different type of outlet than the typical duplex outlets you see in walls. In example, air conditioning. In a typical house setting, you wouldn’t want to plug in your air-conditioning system in a typical duplex outlet as it requires certain electrical ratings. It even has its own circuit breaker in the panel.
DO NOT, by any means, carelessly put into habit plugging high-powered appliances like microwave, electric stove, and other similar appliances into a typical wall outlet when you are not sure if it can carry its electrical load. Ask a professional before doing so. Be informed that most wall outlets are in the same circuit line. Plugging two or more high-powered appliances at the same time (commonly called circuit overloading) may cause electrical failure caused by heated wirings or conduits, which would eventually cause fire. These wirings are typically embedded in walls or floors, so, you wouldn’t see any signs of failing electrical wirings except when it already exploded.
- Keep and Regularly Inspect Fire Suppression and Alarm Tools
One would not know when a fire incident might happen that is why fire prevention equipment and fire alarms are a must-have in every household. Basic tools like a fire extinguisher and fire alarm are important and you should know where it is placed. Normally, fire extinguishers are placed in kitchen where we cook as most residential fire starts in the kitchen.
There should also be regular inspection for these fire suppression and alarm tools. It should be functional and ready in case of emergency. Check the equipment and the fire safety procedures its technician shows when you purchase it. Be informed how often to inspect these fire suppression and alarm equipment.
- Educate Children and Yourselves About Fire
Children, when briefed at a young age about fire (and not to play with it) is a life saver. It is the responsibility of the adult in the household to educate children about the risk and peril fire can bring when not used properly.
When you can, attend the free seminar the government is providing. Some dos and don’ts, myths and facts, are discussed in there. You can even interactively ask professional firemen about your concerns. Who knows, you might discover things that you thought were beneficial but turns out to be detrimental in managing fire.
Have a scape plan. If you have a two-story house, it is just normal to have a emergency fire exit (retractable stair) ready for use should a fire accident happen. Educate your kids, and elderly parents from time to time.
- Keep Fire Hazard Materials in a Proper Place
Educating children doesn’t stop in keeping fire incidents from happening, adults should also put fire hazard materials like gasoline, paints, lighters, matches and the like in a proper storage place away from the children. When adults are away, children tend to imitate what they see in the movies and play like cooking. Fire prevention is better than firefighting. A simple diligence in keeping flammable things in order may save your house from fire.
Fire prevention is easy when one is committed to really prevent it. Equip yourselves with fire prevention techniques and educate your household about fire safety. Fire is a tool that should help better our lives by cooking and run our machineries. It should not be a venue for our valuables to be damaged just because of simple mistake or misinformation.