Training in fire safety - Research Paper Example

To many, specially children, fire fighting and training is viewed as a dramatic act; often always associated with ambulances, fire brigades and/or trucks. Fire fighters are viewed as ‘heroes’ and are often perceived as daring and brave. The task of putting out fire is indeed daunting; it requires more than just riding a fire truck at high speeds making way through the storm of cars on the busy city streets. It requires commitment and sheer passion to save humanity in order to transcend ones self-interest and overcome ones fears for the sake of saving a human life.

Risking one’s life at the cost of other’s well-being- such is the life of a firefighter. Hence, what seems a mere act of bravery is more than just that- it requires not just courage but determination. However, it is a common mistake to assume that only firefighters bear the responsibility of fire safety; each of us is responsible for our own safety. Thus, each of us can be trained (at least at the basic level) as to how to protect oneself from fatal fire accidents. This does not involve any rocket science; in fact, it comprises of one of the most fundamental trainings one ought to have in life.

Training for life fire, thus, encompasses all three levels: the individual level, the societal level and the state level. As is often observed, it is best to be trained at preventing/ averting fire at an individual level simply because the society and government may take time to reach and react; whereas if precautions are taken by the individual he/she is in a better equipped to face any inevitable consequences of fire and/or avert them. It is important to learn how train oneself for life fire; however, it is just as important to understand the fundamental nature of fire before jumping to action.

One of the major characteristics of fire identified by various fire associations are that it tends to spread rapidly; thus leaving no time for humans to react to it. It takes less than two minutes for fire to cause deadly consequences and within a short of five minutes it tends to swallow up the entire setting where it breaks (Cote). What is commonly not understood is that the flames themselves are not as dangerous as the mountains of smoke and heat emerging from them. According to medical research, the breathing in of extra hot air can char the lungs (Cote).

The toxic fumes produced from fire can be life threatening as they make the individual lethargic and perplexed. It is convenient to classify fire into various types depending on the sources from which it emerges: Fire that erupts from the combustion of flammable liquid materials, fire that erupts from explosive solid materials, fire that erupts from flammable gases, fire that erupts from cooking oils and finally fire that erupts from flammable metals (Cote). Another way of classifying fires is to categorize them on the basis of the degree of reaction that they evoke from the concerned establishments.

In this case, fire is classified as one alarm, two alarm or three alarm (Cote). Training for fire can conveniently be divided into three time frames; the training required before the fire breaks (prevention), training during a fire and finally training after the fire breaks. As far as training before the fire is concerned, one of the safest options is to install a fire and/or smoke alarm. According to statistics, the chances of loss of human life are reduced by a half where smoke alarms are installed compared to where they are not.

It is important to note that these alarms ought to be placed at various points within the residence including the kitchen, ceiling, staircase, and roof. However, caution must be exercised that the batteries are replaced on a regular basis and that the alarms are well maintained so that they may serve their purpose in case of emergency. Another option is to practice some mock fire drills with family members and to discuss some potential fire exists in case of an emergency. An important case here is that anything preventing the windows from being opened should be easily done away with.

For instance, certain security alarms or burglar alarms prevent the opening of windows. An alternative or provision should be planned before hand so that in the event of fire such a situation doesn’t arise. Most importantly, however, the use of flammable items indoors should be done away with. Liquids such as benzene or gas should be used cautiously indoors and any smoke near these liquids should be prevented (Cote). These liquids must be at least at a 3 feet distance from any heating sources.

It must be ensured that the walls and floor are aptly insulated (Cote). The electrical connections and associated wiring must be properly insulated; no compromise must be made on the quality of the wirings. Given the nature of fire, it is not always appropriate to wait for the fire brigade in the event of fire as even the most efficient fire brigades may take several minutes to reach. Thus, a fire sprinkler system that works automatically should be put in place for prompt action. Most crucially, fire extinguishers must be installed in every residence.

Also, it is useful to have a fire division check the residence for fire protection before hand to ensure whether the safety measures taken are appropriate or not. Following the above mentioned guidelines greatly reduce the event of fire and /or its damaging effects. However, it is just as important, to train oneself for fire in the event of fire itself. It is a tendency of most buildings to have a certain flaw in their structures that causes the fire to spread rapidly. Such a weak point is mostly captured by fire brigades who come to the rescue of the victims in the event of fire.

The knowledge of how the fire can spread in a building tends to come at handy to the firefighters not only because it helps them plan for the best possible rescue route, but also it enables them to prevent from getting trapped within the building or premises. Majority of the fires erupt not on the structure but elsewhere within the building. For instance, a cigarette can light fire onto a mattress or furniture. If the fire is not stopped, it can amass in a way that it spreads out to the structure, hence, shattering the entire building and burning the victims alive.

This phenomenon is what is commonly referred to as the interior fire spread (Cote). However, fire can also spread towards the exterior. In such cases, fire may spread from door to door or window to window, engulfing the structure of the building from the outside (Cote). Both the exterior and interior spreads are naturally undesirable and call for professional help. However, converse to what appeals to the common sense, the fire invading the structure is more harmful and difficult to put out compared to that which spreads internally.

In either case, however, it is recommended that the persons whose clothes have caught fire do not move because motion increases the speed of fire. It is recommended, therefore, that the persons rub their clothes against the wall or any other object in order to diffuse the fire. Also, while planning to escape the area caught by fire, the individuals must never use the palm of their hands to test for test as any damage done to the palm or fingers can reduce their ability to make their way through fire exits (Cote).

It is highly advised that hot doors are not opened; rather, the cooler doors are approached. However, if there are no cool doors, then in that case the individual/s may signal the fire fighters by hanging a cloth that is light colored outside the window. It is an integral part of fire training that the victims are aware of the basic science underlying heat. Hot air tends to rise and cooler air tends to settle down towards the floor. This basic law implies that victims stay as closer to the floor as possible as the air tends to be cooler towards the floor than the ceiling.

If the doors are been obstructed by fire or smoke then it is best advised not to use them to escape and to use alternatives such as windows. The most useful technique in case of fire, perhaps, is to crawl in order to stay as close to the floor as possible. Not only does this prevent the victim from getting intoxicated from smoke but also helps in escaping the hot fumes. Smoke and hot fumes have a tendency to accumulate near the ceiling rather than the floor. Most importantly, however, it is a crucial part of fire training to inform individuals that while escaping they should close the doors and windows behind them in order to avert the spread of fire.

It is commonsensical not to go inside again once the victims have left the fire area as it only increases chances of burns and fatality. Finally, it is important to note that fire protection training ought to include the steps one ought to follow after having escaped from fire. It is highly likely that the victims are either themselves burnt or see their colleagues/ accomplices burnt. In either case it is highly important to notify and call the helpline or fire emergency immediately. However, the fire department may take time to arrive and the burns are likely to become more prominent till that time.

Hence, it is advised that victims try to cool their burns by applying cold water and/or ice to prevent the burns from deepening further. Furthermore, if heat or fumes are detected in a building, the individuals ought to evacuate on an immediate basis. From the basic training guide above it may be concluded that there are various approaches to fire protection: active safety, passive safety and finally, education. Under active fire safeguards, individuals are assumed to have installed the necessary fire equipment including fire alarms and the automatic sprinkler system to put off fire and are reactive rather than proactive in nature.

Under passive safeguards, however, such equipment is not directly installed but an indirect attempt is made to reduce the chances of fire by using fire insulated material at home and taking all necessary precautions such as convertible fire compartments and other aspects concerning the design of the building structure used to limit the spread of fire. Finally, education is the approach whereby the building owners and residents are educated about the various fire procedures by either providing manuals or ensuring practical demonstrations by ensuring fire drills on a regular basis.

The fire exit route must be clearly drafted and decided beforehand to avoid any panic in the event of fire. References: Cote, Arthur E. Fundamentals of Fire Protection. Massachusettes: National Fire Protection Association Inc., 2004.