November speaker – FIRE

We were visited by John Diggins from Forestville Fire Station, supported by Scott, Adam and Nat.
Scott pointed out that one-third of people who died by fire were seniors; and that a room can be engulfed in fire in three minutes, but most fires can be prevented in seconds.
He showed a video “Better Safe than Sorry” which was targeted at seniors. Some of the points made were;
· Keep looking while you’re cooking! – 65% of fires start in the kitchen and one-third of all fires are caused by leaving food unattended on the stove.
· Don’t overload powerboards.
· Most fires occur during winter.
· Use a fire screen for open fires.
· Keep everything at least a metre from heaters.
· Always turn off electric blankets when getting into bed.
· Put nothing on an electric blanket when it is on.
· Do not smoke in bed – extinguish cigarettes in water.
· In the laundry, clean link and fluff out of dryers.
· Do not leave home if the dryer is on.
· Buy a Fire Blanket – it can be used to extinguish small fires – keep the blanket between you and the fire and get out.
· Cockroaches can eat fire blankets – check yours.
· Place yourself so that the fire is never between you and your escape route.
· Turn off all heat sources.
· Don’t re-use a fire blanket – throw it away.
· Have an escape plan and keep your keys near the exit door – every second counts.
· Barbecues cause many fires. Good maintenance is important – check hoses and gas bottles. Do not allow children to use the barbeque.
Smoke alarms are important and should be checked monthly. An alarm should be in every level of the home. Batteries should be replaced each year – he suggested when changing from daylight saving time in Autumn.
Most fire extinguishers have a ten-year life – check your extinguishers. Dispose of old extinguishers in the “chemical collection”.
If a lithium battery catches fire, do not approach it – close the door and dial 000. If you are changing lithium batteries, do it outside. Never drop a lithium battery.