Thread: Fire protection
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Old 01-31-2022, 05:56 PM   #12
panjumbie
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A couple of comments: First, I'm sorry if it appeared that I'm "lecturing". But there are issues that may not be apparent to people.

In addition to the potential hazard to health from the fire fighting agent, there is the issue of smoke inhalation. Any research of fire deaths will show that the most common cause of death in a fire is smoke inhalation. And there are more injured from smoke inhalation than die. Every one of those who died in the recent Bronx apartment house fire died of smoke inhalation, not from burns or other direct effect of the flames.

Firefighters who must enter an enclosed fire scene will wear self contained breathing apparatus. Even so, firefighters are often victims of smoke inhalation. Another reason to just evacuate while you can, not to try to put out the fire. You don't have their breathing apparatus. You don't have their firefighting gear which reduces their chance of being burnt. You don't have their hose with high pressure water which lets them fight the fire from a distance, probably a greater distance than one using a portable extinguisher. Finally, you probably don't have their training.

If you want to protect your property and stay safe, install a residential fire sprinkler system. Not inexpensive, and potentially a problem if you don't have a municipal water service, but it will almost always put a quick stop to most home fires, particularly the kitchen cooking fires that are the cause of more than 50 percent of home fires and the fires caused by cigarettes, the greatest cause of home fire deaths.

Incidentally, the dry powder extinguisher is very effective against most cooking fires, as long as they haven't already spread to the surrounding furniture. And the corrosion issue isn't going to be a problem in the kitchen. Anything close to the fire is going to either be burnt or so coated with smoke deposits it will end up in the rubbish. The dry powder won't spread into other areas of the home.

For electronics, the most important thing is to turn off the power to it. In many cases, the "fire" will stop by itself then. Then, yes a CO2 extinguisher is better than dry powder. But it is likely that the electronics is going to keep burning until it is de-energized. And do be aware that the plastic in consumer electronics and the interconnecting cables is a significant generator of very toxic smoke.

A little aside to that, if turning off the power requires running into the basement to turn off circuit breakers, don't. One does not want to be trapped in the basement because the fire spread to the only exit. It is interesting that the latest issue of the National Electric Code requires a power shutoff to be installed outside the home on new installations, near the service entrance, specifically so the power can be shut off in a fire situation. Now, I'll admit to misgivings about that requirement, from a home security standpoint, but I think it brings home the point about being able to safely turn off power in a building in the event of a fire.

My final thought. If you are serious about fire protection and are young enough and in good physical condition, consider joining the (presumably volunteer if you aren't in a city) Fire Department. You will be doing your community a major service, and incidentally you will receive training on how to safely fight a fire, be it a small "cooking fire" or a major conflagration. Beyond that, your fire department may offer classes in how and when to use portable fire extinguishers, when to get out, and other steps in fire prevention.

Please do not take this as a personal lecture, I just want anyone reading this thread, not just those who have posted, to think about the safety issues that may not always be generally understood.
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