Fire Safety Reminder

Tom VORENBERG , thanks for subscribing since 11/30/2017.	Unsubscribe
Here's a startling fact you need to know: A fire can engulf almost any type of home in a matter of seconds, not minutes. Fires don't always start slowly and give you a long warning period. They can happen at a moment's notice and we just saw in California that a simple spark from a transformer led to the 2018 wildfire season — the deadliest, most destructive ever in California. You almost can't even imagine what 2 million acres burned and more than $3.5 billion in damage looks like. But the photos allow us to imagine with great intimacy what our own houses might look like after being reduced to a pile of ash and everything we own completely gone. Now that we've buried the dead and begun the rebuilding of lives, property and homes, it's a good time to brush up on fire safety tips that are often overlooked by even the most dedicated preppers. Wildfires are a fact of life in much of the American West. But as we learned in 2016, the threat of raging forest fires is a problem for other parts of the country as well. That year, a series of fires roared through the Great Smokey Mountains near the towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. The fires claimed at least 14 lives and injured another 134. As with all emergencies, prevention is the best place to start. Even if wildfires aren't a frequent occurrence in your area, however, a basic fire safety plan is a must in every home. Here are a few fire safety basics that you should never overlook: Working smoke detectors on at least every level of the home. A fire emergency plan perfected via periodic drills to keep the escape plan fresh in mind. Fire extinguishers strategically placed throughout the home which family members should know how to use. Window escape ladders for multi-story homes. A heavy wool blanket stored in every closet could provide protection from flames during fire evacuation due to the fabric's natural flame retardant properties. The Office of Emergency Management (OEM) says that during a fire emergency, it is important to crawl low in smoke towards the nearest exit covering the mouth with a cloth and once outside never go back. This is because some 30 percent of fire deaths are due to smoke inhalation. Moreover, tall buildings should be evacuated via stairs not elevators, which can act as chimneys during fire. The nature of emergencies — whether they be from fire, a significant weather event or a terror attack — is that they can and often do occur when you least expect them. This is why, as with any type of disaster preparedness, it's important to have a properly stocked bugout bag at the ready for when there's little time to think on the way out the door. A bugout bag, or BOB, is a backpack or some other carry case strategically packed with equipment you need to take with you if you are forced to leave your home or office in a hurry. The contents of these bags vary depending upon anticipated need, but often include a few days' worth of food and water and such items as water purifiers, fire starters, mylar blankets, extra clothes (including footwear), extra cash, a knife, medications, a first aid kit and other supplies. Wildfires like those that hit California this fall and winter or that caught many southerners off guard two years ago pose different challenges than do fires that originate in and are usually contained to a single home. Given the perfect storm of conditions, wildfires can burn for days and weeks across thousands of acres. Officials may order evacuations under such conditions. You may only have a few minutes' or, if you're lucky, hours' notice, and be able to carry with you only what you can grab and take on your back or in your vehicle. And if you're fleeing in your vehicle there's no guarantee your roads won't be clogged with others also trying to flee. This makes the BOB and its contents even more important. If, however, you are willing and able to defend your property against encroaching flames, there are a few things you can do in advance that will make it easier to protect your property: Know how and where to shut off gas supplies at the source as far as possible from your dwelling. Keep enough garden hose handy to at least completely encircle your home. Build firebreaks into your landscape with driveways, walkways and flowerbeds filled with succulent and evergreen plants that better resist flame. If you live in a heavily forested area, consider metal or tile coverings when it's time to replace your roof. Keep your gutters free of plant debris. Keep wood piles, dead leaves, and rubbish clear from the area directly surrounding your home. If possible, trim the branches on trees near the home so that they are at least 10 feet from one another and as far as possible from your home. Keep grass within 100 feet of the house trimmed as neatly as possible. In general, fire safety experts recommend planning to defend a 100-foot radius around any building you are trying to protect from a wildfire. The preventative measures above can help — and combined with other efforts, could save your home. In addition, you might consider keeping extra fire extinguishers and flame retardants on hand; installing a sprinkler system or keeping on hand sprinkler attachments that could help fight back flames; or considering how to use tools and equipment at your disposal to quickly build firebreaks in the landscape if necessary. Yours for the truth, Bob Livingston Editor, The Bob Livingston Letter™