BFP Fire Safety Tips

Every year, more than 100 Filipinos die in home fires. Thousands more suffer with the loss of house and valuables while hundreds are injured by fire.

If a fire occurs in your home, your chances of survival will depend on how quickly and safety you are able to get out. This site gives you advice on how to prevent a fire, and how to protect yourself should one occur.

AT HOME

	Put phone numbers of fire department near phone.
	Eliminate fire hazards through goods housekeeping. Dispose waste paper, rubbish, and other flammable materials regularly.
	Keep matches out of the children’s reach.
	Oil or gas lamps and candles should be placed away from curtains. Do not put them where the wind, children or pets may topple them. Put out the flame before going to bed.
	Do not keep flammable materials like gasoline, alcohol, and paint inside the house.
	Regularly check your electrical installations, and have all frayed wirings and electrical fixtures changed or repaired by a licensed electrician.
	Do not overload electrical circuits by putting additional lights and appliances.
	Blown fuses should not be replaced with coins, wires, or any metal.
	Never leave a lit cigarette/cigar/pipe unattended-it may fall on flammable materials which could start a fire.

SIMPLE HOME PREVENTION MEASURES

	Crush your cigarettes and cigar stubs thoroughly before discarding them. Provide yourselves with ashtray. Do not smoke in bed.
	Oil or gas and other native lamps should be place away from curtains and other objects that easily catch fire. Do not put them where the wind, children, cats or other moving beings may topple them. Put out the flame before going to bed.
	Do not store any flammable substance or any volatile liquid in the kitchen. Cover the flammable container tightly.
	Extinguish all live charcoals and embers or concentrate them in the middle of the stove after being through with kitchen chores. Make it a habit to inspect the kitchen before retiring. Most fires in the home occur at night.
	Keep matches and lighters away from reach of children.
	Clear the corners and nook of the house from rubbish, rags and other waste materials.
	Remove the accumulation of leaves in gutters and other parts of the roof and wood shaving and litters in the attic.
	Quantities of flammables, such as gasoline, oil benzene, naptha, alcohol, and other highly flammable materials should be kept in dwelling houses.
	Rubbish burning should be done on the stove or in the yard away from the house wall. Every smoldering coal left from the bonfire should be extinguished. Be careful that no flying embers from bonfire would alight on the roof of the houses.
	Do not use open flames for decorations.
	Combustible objects, such as firewoods, waste paper and rugs should not be indiscriminately dumped or strewn in the house. Boxes should be regularly cleaned.
	Kerosene and oil stoves should be checked to leakage and they should be regularly cleaned.
	Do not use leaking liquefied petroleum gas equipment.

EMERGENCY ACTION: BURNS

SMALL HEAT BURNS

	Remove clothing if not stuck.
	Immerse burned area in lukewarm water or applied cold pack (never use ice) unless skin is open or blistered.
	Cover burn with sterile or clean dressing.

MAJOR HEAT BURNS

	Call for emergency help (usually 117) or rush conscious victim to hospital.
	DO NOT remove clothing, DO NOT immerse in cold water.
	Cover burn with clean material; keep victim warm, elevated burned feet or legs.
	If not breathing, give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation: tilt-lift chin, pinch nose shut, seals mouth with yours gives 2 full breaths. Repeat: 1 breath each 5 seconds.

CHEMICAL BURNS

	PROMPTLY call for emergency aid, or rush to hospital immediately.
	If chemical container is nearby, obey first aid steps on it. Keep it to show to the hospital personnel.
	Until helps arrived, remove clothing from burn and flood burn with water, if face is burned the eyes. DOCTORS SHOULD SEE ALL BURNS, EXCEPT IF SKIN IS REDDENED IN ONLY SMALL AREA.

Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.