Fire Safety Tips

Did you know Cooking is the primary cause of home fires and injuries? According to the National Fire Protection Association. Kitchen Ranges  or cooktops create up to 62% of home fires.

In one of this week's episodes, we discussed a revolutionary product that serves as a fire retardant thus home and family are protected from forest wildfires and accidental fire within the home. In fact, ironically, my guest mentioned of his visit to Maui two years ago to promote this amazing product, however, in their infinite wisdom showed little interest in the product and considering what subsequently happened to Maui, all I can say is hindsight is always 20-20.

​As a case in point,  many people are oblivious of what to do when there is a sudden fire emergency. Such as told by a neighbor, the home across the  street, all the windows were busted out, the brick facade  on the entire home was charred, and all the vehicles in the driveway had melted to the concrete. So happened the homeowner had started a grease fire due to frying a turkey, then proceeded to toss water on it to put it out.

Please never make this mistake and throw water on a grease fire! But instead, what you need to do is smother the fire properly. With this said, I hope my research of the following tips will be an eye opener in staying safe from accidental fire.

It stands to reasons fire incidents often occur in the kitchen, for example, unfortunately, in some regions of this country heating oil is so cost prohibitive that some use cooking stoves to heat their home, and this can put your family in a hazardous situation. Also, sometimes alcohol is involved or taking medication that makes a person lethargic and hence, the stove is unattended. Or I know, sometimes while cooking it sets off the smoke alarm and many are inclined to disable the alarm while cooking dinner, and then forget to reengage the alarm system when done. And whoever thinks of testing the GFCI receptacles in the kitchen to prevent shock or worse, electrocution? And incidentally, never allow a decade worth of dryer lint to accumulate inside your machine until it explodes into an uncontrollable flame, and this happens more often than you can imagine.

I wonder how well the neurotransmitters are firing in some people, yes, pun intended, by what I hear, for instance, as told by a restoration worker. The story goes, a family decided to cut down a small tree and stuffed it into their fireplace to heat their home. The flue was so jammed with leaves that smoke started to immediately fill the front room. They subsequently tried to pull it out and this is when it really got out of control. Then, they tried to drag the burning tree out of the home but could not go any further than their front door. Due to their collective efforts, all sustained 2nd/3rd degree burns on their hands, forearms, the fire devastated the living room and the foyer of their house. This was such an eyebrow raising incident, that the insurance company asked the restoration worker  if he thought it was a fraudulent case. He emphatically told the insurance adjuster, "no, these people are just stupid.”

Here again, some people seriously do not use their thinking ability as they should.

A teenage boy  was charcoal barbecuing in his garage during winter and when finished, he decided to dispose of the hot coals into a cardboard box up against the front of the home. And should I say anymore?

This reminds me of someone I personally know of who will stay anonymous, who decided to clean out his fireplace and unbeknownst to him, there were yet some hot coals of which he dumped into a utility Trailor. And before you knew it, the entire Trailor became engulfed in the middle of the night and all you needed was to celebratorily dance around the fire like Indians. Just between you and me, I am keeping this fire fiasco in my back pocket whenever he implies I am an idiot.

Have you ever wondered why people always tend to first run to the trashcan? I cannot over emphasize, "do not, and let me repeat do not ever do this." There was a girl in a college dorm who was making popcorn, and not realizing how, the bag caught on fire in the microwave. To avoid getting in trouble, she grabbed the flaming bag of popcorn and threw it into a nearby dumpster. Then she proceeded to smother the flames with paper towels thinking it would work. So much for college education! Almost immediately, much to her chagrin, first responders surrounded the building.

It is a matter of applying common sense which may be a misnomer these days. For example, we must be aware of Overloading our electrical system which can easily cause a fire disaster. If lights begin to flicker or dim, you get a Whiff of something burning, a discolored switched or outlets are warm to the touch, these are signs of a serious wiring problem. If you experience a mild shock or tingling sensation from an appliance, it is time for a professional to address it.

Studies have shown that every year over 3,000 house fires are caused by extension cords. This is often the case of trying to be expeditious and inadvertently causing an extension to overheat, and the result is an unwanted home fire. Therefore, the recommendation is to only use certified extension cords. Occasionally, inspect your extensions for damage by pets or by other means, and never ever plug an extension cord into another unless you want a visiting parade of red trucks.

Here in California smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors  are mandated because they save lives, however, many families live in homes without this protection. Unfortunately, hundreds of people, especially senior citizens, die from exposure to carbon monoxide, and thousands more expire due to house fires where there are no operative smoke alarms. You will find that most municipalities have public information to ensure that the community is aware of the various safety devices available, including interconnected alarm systems and alternative smoke alarms for the hearing disabled. So, it is a matter of educating yourself, learning how to keep your home and family safe from accidental fire.

But how do you stay calm in an emergency?

Having mentioned the foregoing scenarios, it is natural for us to react in the realm of irrationality when we are frightened or stressed out. However, emergencies always call for calm, collectiveness, and reasonable behavior and effective communication for a quick resolution. If your nature is not staying calm in a precarious situation, you would be more apt to freeze, be reluctant before acting and make wrong decisions.

Therefore, only someone in the right "mindset" can carry out what needs to be done effectively. The key is to take a deep breath through the nose, concentrating on what needs to be done such as calling 911, and proceed to adjust to the situation.

Taking a few deep breaths under pressure is highly recommended. When under extreme pressure, our body will automatically kick into “fight or flight mode,” and invariably we will tend to hyperventilate due to panic. Of course, this is the body’s natural response, but we need to slow down if we are to think in a rational manner. Some call it box breathing, which I practice before a public presentation or in an unnerving situation. Breathe in through the nose, hold it in your diaphragm or below your ribs to the count of 4,6 or 8, and then exhale slowly to the same count through the nose or mouth, and do not inhale until you finish the same count. Using box breathing is an amazing technique to stabilize the nervous system, Try it!

Without deep breathing, you may begin hyperventilating  and may cause you to have a panic attack that can render you useless in taking care of the pressing situation.

Any urgent situations despite the circumstances can be horrifying, but the benefit of staying calm is immeasurable compared to panicking during challenging moments.

Focusing on one goal at a time is the optimal manner to control stress and anxiety. For example, let us say, a family member is exhibiting signs of hypertension or high blood pressure symptoms, focus immediately on 911 first. Once this task is done, move on to the other task such as making certain your family member is comfortable while help is on the way. Trying to do several things at once only increases the potential of human error. This underscores the importance of educating ourselves on appropriate first-aid procedures, fire drills and there is no substitute for preparation.

The principal benefit of remaining calm in an emergency is to think of the other person's medical needs as soon as possible. Those who have mastered the ability to stay calm in an emergency tend not to think twice  and make less mistakes than those who lose self-control because of anxiety.

Yes, it is not enough for someone to say “just calm down” is never helpful advice, but exercising these mindful tips will help you to assist someone in dire need of medical attention. You will have the wherewithal to determine what to do in a pinch. Do I call 911? Should  I bring them to urgent care myself or transport via ambulance to the emergency room? Or can this situation be treated at home? Educating ourselves  is a wonderful way to stay calm and get the crisis resolved ASAP.