Today is the second day of March and I still can't believe that it is already March, it's like what happened to the January and February? I didn't even notice that it's already March if I didn't saw a post on twitter that it is already March.

As we welcome this month, we always remembered that March is always the moth of Fire Prevention because this month is mostly to have fire cases every year but I guess it's not in the month right? because on the day my dog died last February 25, 2018, our barangay had a huge fire in purok #1 that all of the residents who live in that area lost their house and their properties. Even in Iligan City, there was an incident of fire near in Coca-Cola Factory, I think that happened in the day of February 27 if I'm not mistaken.

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Why is March Fire Prevention Month?

This dates back to 1966 when then President Ferdinand Marcos signed Proclamation 115-A that assigned a particular aspect of safety and accident prevention to each month of the year.

This initiative, according to the proclamation, propagates "safety consciousness among our people every day of the year as a positive preventive approach to a problem that can be solved by more caution, vigilance, sobriety, an exercise of common sense and respect for the law."

Incidentally, March was also declared the Burn Prevention Month, as per Proclamation 360 of former president Corazon Aquino. This proclamation, signed in 1989, aims "to disseminate knowledge in the field of burn prevention and to enhance education in all phases of burn care".

March happens to be one of the hottest months in the country. According to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), it is around this month when temperature and humidity start to reach high levels, causing "high sensible temperature" in the country.

The hot dry season in the country usually runs from March to May.

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Common Causes of House Fires and How to Prevent Them

• Cooking Equipment

Most kitchen fires occur because people get distracted and leave their cooking unattended. It can take just seconds for a pot or pan to cause a fire when it overheats or splatters grease.

Prevention: Always stand by your pan because it’s important to give anything that’s on top of your stove your undivided attention. Keep LPG tank outside or in a well-ventilated area. Keep combustibles such as dish towels, oven mitts, and paper towels away from heat sources.

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• Electrical Equipment

A lot of people think that faulty wiring is the root of the fire. What actually happens is the wires or circuit becomes overloaded due to an increase in the load the circuit carries without changing the size of the wires. The wires then tend to overheat in the circuit caused by the additional load.

Prevention: Don’t overuse an extension cord. Just because there is an open plug doesn’t mean you can plug anything into it. Check your electrical appliances for loose or frayed cords/plugs. Lastly, don’t run electrical wires under rugs or heavy furniture.

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• Careless Smoking

In the Philippines, smoking is the fourth leading cause of a fire. People who smoke, especially in bed, tend to become drowsy or fall asleep and forget to extinguish their cigarette properly.

Prevention: Use big, deep ashtray and never place an ashtray on or near anything that will burn. Furthermore, check furniture for fallen cigarettes/embers.

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• Open Flames

Unattended burning candles or kerosene lamps that are placed near flammable or combustible material is a fire waiting to happen.

Prevention: Blow out candles before leaving the room. Place them in a sturdy holder on a level surface and make sure they are far away from combustible materials and out of reach of children or pets.

• Children Playing with Fire

Out of curiosity or mischief, children cause fires. Kids playing with matches or lighters don’t fully comprehend the risks they are taking which is a cause for concern.

Prevention: Check whether they have matches or lighters in their room or possession, smell sulfur in their room, and/or find toys or other personal effects that appear to have been melted. Supervision is incredibly important as well as teaching your kids about fire safety.

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• Flammable Liquids

There are many products left around the home that are highly flammable such as fuels, solvents, cleaning agents, thinners, adhesives, paints, and other raw materials that can ignite or explode if stored improperly.

Prevention: Don’t place flammable liquids near a heating source (vapors can easily ignite from even just high temperatures or weak ignition sources) but rather store them outside the home in a cool ventilated area, in tightly sealed containers.

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• Faulty Wiring

As houses age, the electrical wiring can become “worn out,” leading to dangerous predicaments within the walls that homeowners cannot see. A clear warning sign is when a fuse blows or the circuit breaker trips frequently.

Prevention: It is well worth the investment to have a certified electrician examine the house’s electrical system.

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• Lighting

Installing a bulb with a wattage that is too high for the lamps and light fixtures is a leading cause of electrical fires. Sometimes when the bulb burns out there is a chance that the ballast can start a fire.

Prevention: Regularly check light fittings for heat build up. Discard lampshades that are close to light globes & lamp bases that can be knocked over easily.

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• Overnight charging

People should avoid leaving devices to charge unattended, especially overnight. Hearing about phones or tablets exploding or bursting into flames isn’t so uncommon. A battery may explode due to overcharging while you’re sleeping and set fire to your house.

Prevention: Only use original batteries and chargers. Substandard batteries don’t include the fuse which disconnects the circuit in the case of overheating of the battery. Don’t leave your device in hot areas, especially if it’s charging. It only makes overheating problems worse. Ambient temperatures affect batteries a lot.

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• Pets

You wouldn’t believe how easy it is for a dog to get in trouble with fire. Dogs can climb up and accidentally hit the stove knobs potentially making an extremely flammable situation or puppies can chew on electrical cords which can electrocute them and consequently cause a fire.

Prevention: When you’re not home and when you’re not awake, use crates to prevent new dogs or puppies from chewing on electrical cords. This will also prevent them from urinating on electrical objects and starting a fire. Remove stove knobs when you’re not using the stove or invest in knob protectors to prevent stovetop fires.

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• LPG tanks

Parents would always, always ask if the LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) tanks are turned off after cooking, before going to bed, or leaving the house. Do not get annoyed when reminded of this because LPG tanks are one of the most common causes of a fire. Make sure the LPG tank you have at home is not defective and substandard. Rusty and corroded tanks are potential hazards.

Prevention: After cooking or using the LPG, make sure to close or turn off the LPG to avoid leaking the gas.

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Always remember that if a fire should occur, you and your family’s safety will all depend on calm, rational actions. The first priority should be is to get you and all your family members out of the house as quickly as possible. When it comes to house fires, timing is everything.

Since it’s easy to become disoriented and upset during an emergency, you’ll need to have all the important phone numbers readily available ahead of time. Make sure your family knows emergency phone numbers and your children know how to place a call for help.

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Top Tips for Fire Safety

1. Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas.

2. Test smoke alarms every month. If they’re not working, change the batteries.

3. Talk with all family members about a fire escape plan and practice the plan twice a year.

4. If a fire occurs in your home, GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL FOR HELP. Never go back inside for anything or anyone.

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The 7 Ways to Prepare for a Home Fire

1. Install the right number of smoke alarms. Test them once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year.

2. Teach children what smoke alarms sound like and what to do when they hear one.

3. Ensure that all household members know two ways to escape from every room of your home and know the family meeting spot outside of your home.

4.Establish a family emergency communications plan and ensure that all household members know who to contact if they cannot find one another.

1. Practice escaping from your home at least twice a year. Press the smoke alarm test button or yell “Fire“ to alert everyone that they must get out.

2. Make sure everyone knows how to call 9-1-1.

3. Teach household members to STOP, DROP and ROLL if their clothes should catch on fire.

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Develop Fire-Safe Habits

If you do nothing else:

• Keep items that can catch on fire at least three feet away from anything that gets hot, such as space heaters.

• Smoking materials are the leading cause of residential fire deaths in the United States. If you smoke, take precautions: Smoke outside; choose fire-safe cigarettes; never smoke in bed, when drowsy or medicated, or if anyone in the home is using oxygen.

• Use deep, sturdy ashtrays and douse cigarette and cigar butts with water before disposal.

• Talk to children regularly about the dangers of fire, matches, and lighters and keep them out of reach.

• Turn portable heaters off when you leave the room or go to sleep.

• Never leave a burning candle unattended, even for a minute.

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What to do if a fire starts

If a Fire Starts:

• Know how to safely operate a fire extinguisher

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• Remember to GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency phone number.

• Yell "Fire!" several times and go outside right away. If you live in a building with elevators, use the stairs. Leave all your things where they are and save yourself.

• If closed doors or handles are warm or smoke blocks your primary escape route, use your second way out. Never open doors that are warm to the touch.

• If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your exit. Close doors behind you.

• If smoke, heat or flames block your exit routes, stay in the room with doors closed. Place a wet towel under the door and call the fire department or 9-1-1. Open a window and wave a brightly colored cloth or flashlight to signal for help.

• Once you are outside, go to your meeting place and then send one person to call the fire department. If you cannot get to your meeting place, follow your family emergency communication plan.

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If your clothes catch on fire:

Stop what you’re doing.

Drop to the ground and cover your face if you can.

Roll over and over or back and forth until the flames go out. Running will only make the fire burn faster.

THEN:

Once the flames are out, cool the burned skin with water for three to five minutes. Call for medical attention.

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Caring for Yourself & Loved Ones

• Pay attention to how you and your loved ones are experiencing and handling stress. Promote emotional recovery by following these tips. Discard any food that has been exposed to heat, smoke or soot.

• Watch pets closely and keep them under your direct control.

• Help people who require additional assistance- infants, elderly people, those without transportation, large families who may need additional help in an emergency situation, people with disabilities, and the people who care for them.

4 Steps to Take Immediately After a Home Fire

1. Call 9-1-1. Give first aid where needed; cool and cover burns to reduce the chance of further injury or infection.

2. Let friends and family know you’re safe.

3. People and animals that are seriously injured or burned should be transported to professional medical or veterinary help immediately.

4. Stay out of fire-damaged homes until local fire authorities say it is safe to re-enter.

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Reference:

https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/51947-march-fire-prevention-month
https://www.hoppler.com.ph/blog/home-improvements/10-common-causes-of-house-fires-and-how-to-prevent-them
https://lifestyle.mb.com.ph/2017/03/15/top-8-common-causes-of-fire-at-home/
http://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire
http://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire/home-fire-recovery
http://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/fire/home-fire-preparedness

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You guys can check my previous post:

Our Art for the Poetry of When I Was One-And Twenty

Art With Word Contest #2 Theme: Dream

How I Draw Pikachu

Rest in Peace: Hawk-chan - Hawkbb

Get Well Soon: Hawk (Our Dog)

Drawing for A Girl

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That would be all guys!

Thanks for dropping by!!

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⚓ goiinmary ⚓

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