Jan 15
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Fire Extinguishers and Fire Safety

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Understand The Importance Of Fire Extinguishers

Fire safety is of the utmost importance and fire hazards are a clear and present danger in modern society; one of the best tools to reduce fire hazards and to fight fires is fire extinguishers. It is the law for most businesses to have them but for some reason many people still overlook these potential life savers!

Fire extinguishers are just like decorations to a lot of people; despite their strong red colour. Despite that It is essential that they get regular fire safety inspection.

People have many crazy stories and claims about how they make great toys or they have set one off at a drunken party etc. etc. The real facts we should be focusing on are a little more serious. Over 600 businesses and non-residential buildings are saved from going up in flames by the help of fire extinguishers EVERY DAY!

That is in the USA alone, so imagine how many there are across the entire globe!

Stating The Facts

Recent studies and reports have revealed some interesting facts. The following information was provided by the National Fire Protection Association.

  • In 2008 the US fire service responded to nearly 1.5 million fires
  • This included 3320 civilian deaths, 16705 sustained injuries and over $15 Billion in direct property loss.
  • 112000 of those fires were in public or commercial buildings.
  • $3.811 Billion of that damage took place in public and commercial buildings.

That works out at an average loss of $34000 per incident. That is an higher than the average person in the US makes in a year!

 

If these facts do not raise an eyebrow there is much more to be known! Fire extinguishers can handle and put out 80 percent of fires caused; this meant that 75% of those cases did not require help from a fire engine or the fire services department.

Precautions When Using An Extinguisher

Experts advise that you should only attempt to extinguish a fire when everybody else has been evacuated from the building or area; plus the fire department should ALWAYS be notified.

As much as you want to save your property or items; remember that lives cost more than property!

Always make sure you have a planned exit route before you use the extinguisher to tackle the fire; try to contain the fire so it does not spread further and by all means do not let the fire surround you.

Once the room is completely filled with smoke, it is time to get out of there as damage can be harmful and may render you unconscious. Remember that different extinguishers are designed to put out different fires.  You would never use a water based extinguisher to put out an electrical fire!

Do your research on what kind of extinguisher is designed to put out which type of fire, research and keep yourself informed. Failure to be prepared can have tragic consequences.

It is vital that you get an annual fire safety inspection carried out on your fire extinguisher; to make sure that it is in the correct place, clear from obstruction, the pressure is correct and that any seals have not been tampered with nor need replacing.

Stay safe!

Sep 30
0

Smoke Detectors and Fire Prevention Week.

Posted by | Fire Safety, Smoke Detectors | No Comments

smoke-detector-beeping-maintenance-is-likely-required-347Smoke detectors save lives, and the importance of keeping them in good working order can’t be stressed enough. Smoke detector maintenance should be a large part of every home’s fire safety and prevention plan, because periodic battery changes and scheduled professional assessment will pay off in the long run.

Smoke detectors will give you fair warning about a fire in your home, which ensures you and your loved ones can get out in time to prevent injury and loss of life. In many cases they also alert your local fire department so they can reach your home or office quickly, allowing them enough time to try to save your property.

Because of all this, Fire Prevention Week in Arizona will place great focus on the importance of smoke detectors during kitchen fires, and what steps you should take to protect yourself and your property from some of the most common reasons for fires in the country.

Fire Prevention Week will take place from October 6 to 12, 2013, and will focus on helping people prevent kitchen fires, which are the leading cause for home fires in the United States. As part of the planned activities, children and families can learn fun ways of preventing fires, as well as take a challenge quiz to find out how much they know on the subject.

Teachers in Arizona can also learn how to help their students learn about fire safety and prevention, and Fire Prevention Week will help them design fun activities to help children memorize safety measures and the steps to take during emergencies, making them more aware of the warning signs of a fire within their home or school.

Fire Prevention Week commemorates the great Chicago fire, which destroyed the city in 1871. To prevent future disasters of this type, professional fire inspection companies can help you maintain your smoke detectors in good working condition, allowing you to sleep easy knowing that you will be fairly warned in the event of a fire.

Fires can be silent killers, and in most cases, when you don’t have smoke detectors, you won’t know there is a fire in your home until it is too late. Always remember to schedule an appointment to have a fire inspection company take a look at your smoke detectors and help you identify any hazardous areas within your home. Because investing in fire safety translates to an investment in your life and those of your family.

Aug 21
0

Is your business prepared for a fire emergency?

Posted by | Fire Extinguishers, Fire Safety | No Comments

Exit-sign

Fires are one of the disasters that most people never expect but that will devastate a business in just a few minutes. When you open a business, you likely will have to comply with various local and even state regulations with regard to fire safety and inspections. Don’t do just the minimum! Instead be proactive about making sure that your business is ready in case of a fire. Here are a few tips to help keep your employees and your property safe.

Annual Fire Extinguisher Inspection

Fire extinguishers do not work forever. They are essentially pressurized gas, such as nitrogen, or air, which interacts with chemicals to spray out foam. Over times, this pressure can decrease or miniscule punctures in the extinguisher can cause it to leak out. Be sure that you call Desert State Fire, we can perform an annual safety inspection for your fire extinguishers. Just add it to your list of other annual items that require checking and make the call at the beginning of each year.

Safety Exit Plan and Practice

Most local governments require business owners to have an evacuation route mapped out in case of a fire. These maps usually are in the office next to the door. The problem with them is that they often don’t make sense on first glance. It may be difficult to tell exactly where to go, and in a fire, people are not thinking clearly. All employees should know how to exit from various points in the building. Make fire safety part of a new hire’s orientation procedures and have practice fire drills at least once a year to refresh everyone’s memory.

Review Procedures       

Fire safety precautions are not a “one and done” type of job. In addition to having an annual fire extinguisher inspection, it is imperative to review procedures annually or any time there is a change in the office set-up. Make sure that employees can get out from their offices in addition to break rooms, restrooms, and other places they are likely to frequent. If you move desks around, check that the fire extinguishers are still in an easily accessible location.

Don’t be caught off-guard if there is a fire in your business. While you hope it never happens, the reality is that it sometimes does, and knowing that you are prepared for it will help you feel better about the safety of your business and employees.

Jul 30
0

Have you checked your fire extinguishers lately?

Posted by | Fire Extinguishers | No Comments

fire.extinguisher

It is extremely important that all businesses have portable fire extinguishers on the premises. However, they are useless if they are inaccessible, employees do not know how to use them, or they do not work correctly.  Desert State Fire is a full-service, fire safety and inspection company serving businesses statewide across Arizona.

We do not simply sell businesses a fire extinguisher and then walk away. We can help with placement, and answer questions related to vital OSHA, NFPA, local, and state rules and regulations. Once the fire extinguishers are in place, we will be happy to set up a service and maintenance schedule with you to ensure that each fire extinguisher is working correctly.
Each fire extinguisher should be thoroughly inspected regularly. This inspection should include the following points.

• Location: Each fire extinguisher should be placed in a permanent location, and should be returned to that location after cleaning, inspection, and use.

• Mounting Bracket: This should be checked to make sure that the fire extinguisher is installed correctly and cannot fall, or be easily knocked off. This is to avoid potential injury, and damage to the fire extinguisher.

• Handle or Lever: this should be checked to ensure that it will work correctly in the event of a fire.

• Clean the Extinguisher: During the inspection process, the extinguisher should be cleaned. A degreasing solution should be used if necessary.

• Locking Pin: This should be removed and inspected to ensure that it is clean, working correctly, and can be removed quickly and easily if the fire extinguisher is ever needed.

• Discharge Hose: Remove the hose and inspect it for signs of wear and tear, damage, or blockage. If any is found,the hose should be immediately replaced.

• Fire Extinguisher Weight: The best way to ensure that the correct amount of extinguishing agent is in the fire extinguisher is to check its weight.

• Pressure Gauge: This needs to be checked to ensure that the extinguisher is properly pressurized.

• Maintenance and Test History: During every inspection, this should be reviewed in order to determine whether the fire extinguisher requires hydrostatic testing or maintenance.

• Hazard Application: This should be reviewed to ensure that the fire extinguisher is the correct type for any potential hazard. If it is not, it should be replaced immediately with one that is.

• Inspection Certification: Once the inspection is complete, it should be documented by attaching a service tag and safety flag to the extinguisher.

 

Jun 09
0

Welcome to the new desertstatefire.com!

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Welcome to the new desertstatefire.com! We are in the process of overhauling our site as well as firing up our social media efforts.

So please help us by telling people about our new site, following up on Twitter, liking our facebook page, and connecting with us on Linkedin!

And stay tuned for new blog posts about exciting things in the Fire Safety world!

 

Email us today to learn more about our services. Contact Us