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TopFireCausesandQuizIn2012,PortlandFire&Rescue(PF&R)respondedto2,109fires,manyofwhichweredeterminedbyPF&Rinvestigatorstobeaccidentalandpreventable.
Thisdocumentexploresthefirecausesthatarecollectivelyassociatedwiththemajorityoffirerelateddeaths,injuries,andpropertydamageinPortland.
Afterreadingthesefirepreventiontips,takethequiztoseehowmuchyou'velearned!
CookingSafetyCookingisthe#1causeofhomefiresinPortland,andunattendedcookingisthetopcontributingfactor.
Additionally,manycookingfireinjuriesoccurwhenpeoplerespondtokitchenfireswithinappropriateactions.
Observethefollowing"Do'sandDon'ts"toavoidthesecommonfiresandfireinjuries.
DO:Attendtoyourcooking.
Keephandlesofstovetoppotsandpansturnedin.
Keepthingsthatcatchfireawayfromyourstovetop.
Ifyouhaveacookingfire:Smotherthefirebyslidingalidoverthepan.
Turnofftheburner.
Foranovenfire,turnofftheheatandkeepthedoorclosed.
Foramicrowavefire,unplugorcutoffthepowerandkeepthedoorclosed.
DON'T:Neverpourwateronagreasefire!
Neverdischargeaportableextinguisherintoacookingpan–itwillspreadthefire.
Donottrytocarrythepotorpanofgreaseoutside–thiscanleadtoscaldsandburns.
CigarettesCigarettesaretheleadingcauseoffiredeathsonacity,state,andnationallevel.
Thefiresvictimsincludenotonlythesmokersbuttheirfamilies,friendsandneighbors.
Mostcigarettefiresarecausedbyimproperlydiscardedsmokingmaterial(cigarettes,cigars,pipes,etc).
Thesefiresoftenstartoutside,thenmovetoastructure.
Othercommonignitionfactorsincludefallingasleepwhilesmokingandsmokingwithmedicaloxygen.
Firesfromsmokingmaterialcanbepreventedbyfollowingthesetips:Donotsmokeinbedoranywherethatyoumightfallasleep.
Ifyousmoke,smokeoutside.
Donotdiscardcigarettesinpottedplants,landscapingvegetationorbarkdust–theycaneasilycatchfire.
Useadeep,sturdyashtrayoranon-combustiblecontainerthatcannotbetippedover.
Beforethrowingawaybuttsorashes,douseinwaterorsand.
Neversmokeinahomewhereoxygenisused.
ElectricalSafetyElectricalproblemsareoneofthetopcausesofstructurefiresandfiredeaths.
IntheU.
S.
from2007-2011,roughlyhalfofhomeelectricalfiresinvolvedelectricalwiringorlightingequipment;androughlyhalfinvolvedequipmentsuchaswashersanddryers,fans,andspaceheaters.
Electricalsafetytips:Avoidoverloadingoutlets.
Plugonlyonehigh-wattageapplianceintoeachoutletatatime.
Neveruseanextensioncordwithamajorapplianceorspaceheater–itcanbeeasilyoverloaded.
Plugappliancedirectlyintoawalloutlet.
Ifafuseblowsoracircuitbreakertripsoften,lightsflickerordim,oroutletsorswitchesfeelwarm,haveaqualifiedelectricianinspectandfixtheproblem.
Uselampbulbsthatmatchthelamp'srecommendedwattage(thereisusuallyastickeronthelamp).
Powerstripswithcircuitbreakerscanbeusefultoolstotemporarilyplugseveralitemsintoanelectricaloutlet,butifusedincorrectlytheycancauseafire.
Theuseofpowerstripsandmulti-plugoutletsincreasesthedrawofelectricitythroughyourhome'swiring.
Beforecreatingadditionalelectricaldemand,ensurethatyourwiringisingoodrepairandcapableofcarryingtheadditionalload.
Makesureyourhomehasgroundfaultcircuitinterrupters(GFCIs)inthekitchen,bathroom(s),laundry,basement,andoutdoorareas,toreducetheriskofelectricshock.
Arc-faultcircuitinterrupters(AFCIs)shouldbeinstalledinyourhometoprotectelectricaloutlets,andpreventfiresduetoarcing.
Avoidrunningextensioncordsundercarpets–thecarpetcanheatupandcauseafire.
Replaceorrepairdamagedorlooseelectricalcords.
HomeHeatingEquipmentHomeheatingequipmentisresponsiblefor1in4Oregonwinterfiresandisaleadingcauseofhomefiredeaths.
InarecentU.
S.
study,spaceheatersaccountedforfouroutoffive(80%)homeheatingfiredeaths.
Somesimplestepscanpreventmostheating-relatedfires:Keepanythingthatcanburnatleastthreefeetawayfromheatingequipment(e.
g.
fireplace,woodstove,baseboardorportablespaceheater).
Donotuseextensioncordswithportablespaceheaters–plugdirectlyintooutlet.
Spaceheatersshouldhaveaswitchthatshutsoffwhentheunittipsover.
Haveheatingequipmentandchimneyscleanedandinspectedeveryyearbyaqualifiedprofessional.
Fireplacesshouldhaveasturdyscreentostopsparksfromflyingintotheroom.
Disposeofashesinacovered,non-combustiblecontaineranddousewithwater.
Makesureallfuel-burningequipment(e.
g.
gasfurnacesandranges,woodstovesandfireplaces)areventedtotheoutsidetoavoidcarbonmonoxide(C.
O.
)poisoning.
CandleSafetyCandles,althoughappealingfortheambiancetheycancreate,areasignificantcauseofhomefires–andoneoftheleadingcausesofhomefiredeaths.
Morethanone-thirdofhomecandlefiresstartinthebedroom,andmorethanhalfofallcandlefiresstartwhenthingsthatcanburnaretooclosetothecandle.
Ifyouburncandles,observethesesafetytips.
.
.
Usecandleholdersthataresturdyandwon'ttipovereasily.
Keepcandlesatleast12"awayfromanythingthatcanburn.
Blowoutcandleswhenyouleavetheroomorgotobed;avoidtheuseofcandlesinroomswherepeoplemayfallasleep.
Neverburnacandleifmedicaloxygenisusedinthehome.
Considerusingbatterypowered,flamelesscandles.
SpontaneousCombustionSpontaneouscombustionoccurswhenamaterialgeneratesisownheat,andincreasesintemperaturewithoutdrawingheatfromitssurroundings.
Ifthematerialreachesitsignitiontemperature,spontaneouscombustionoccurs.
Examplesofmaterialsthatarepronetospontaneouscombustioninclude:oilyrags,hay,andotheragriculturalproducts.
Inhomestructurefires,oilyragsarethemostcommonitemignitedbyspontaneouscombustionandthegarageisthemostcommonareaoffireorigin.
Oilyragsleftclumpedtogethercanheatupandcatchfire.
Topreventthesefiresinthehome,storeoilyragsinanon-combustible(e.
g.
metal)containerwithlidclosed.
Priordisposal,soakinwaterthenspreadthemoutinasafeoutdoorareatodry.
References:www.
nfpa.
org/educationOregonOfficeoftheStateFireMarshalDataUnitPortlandFire&RescueIncidentSystemTakePF&R'sPreventableFireCauseSafetyQuizTestyourknowledgeofthemostcommonpreventablefirecausesinPortlandwiththis10-questionfiresafetyquiz.
1.
Kitchenfiresarethemostcommontypeoffireinahome.
Thisisbecause:a.
Stovesaredangerousb.
Cookingisleftunattendedc.
Childrenknockthingsoverd.
Smokealarmsarenotinkitchens2.
Thebestwaytocontrolafireinapanonastoveisto:a.
Useyourgardenhosetosprayitoutb.
Fanitwithatoweluntilitgoesoutc.
Carrytheflamingpantothenearesttrashcand.
Smotheritwithalidthatfitsthepan3.
Microwaveovenfirescanbeputoutby:a.
Keepingthedoorclosedandunpluggingorcuttingoffpowertotheovenb.
Carryingtheentireovenoutsidec.
Openingtheovendoorandfillingtheovenwithwaterd.
Doingnothing,microwaveovensareself-extinguishing4.
Candlesaredangerousbecause:a.
Thesmellputspeopletosleepb.
Hotwaxwillcatchthingsonfirec.
Peopleleavethemunattendedorfallasleepandthecandleburnsdown,ignitingthingsarounditd.
Theycannotbemadesafe5.
Smokingmaterialscausefiresfrom:a.
Spontaneouslyignitingb.
Beingcarelesslythrownawayc.
Radiantheattransmissiond.
Beingrubbedtogether6.
Portableheaterscancausefireswhen:a.
Theyareplacedtooclosetothingsthatcanburnb.
Thingsthatcanburnarepiledontopofthemc.
Theytipoveranddonotshutoff(becausetheydonothaveatipoverswitch)d.
Alloftheabove7.
Deviceswithelectricalcords:a.
Shouldbethrownawaywhenthecordiscracked,frayed,ordiscoloredb.
Shouldbehungupbythecordwhennotinusec.
Shouldbecoveredupwithtowelsand/orblanketsatalltimesd.
Shouldbeimmersedinwaterwhilepluggedin8.
Spontaneouscombustioncanoccurwhen:a.
Greaseisusedforcookingb.
Portableheaterstipoverontoacarpetc.
Candlesareusedwithoutaglasscoverd.
Oilsoakedragsareleftclumpedtogetherorleftwithoutsoakinginwater9.
Smokealarms:a.
Areyourbestprotectionagainstdeathfromfireb.
Canonlyworkifyoukeepagoodbatteryinthemc.
Mustbetestedeverymonthtoensuretheyareworkingd.
Alloftheabove10.
Replacepowerstripelectricalcordswhen:a.
You'veusedeveryoutletonthemb.
Theyshowanysignofdiscoloringc.
Theyhavebeenonthefloorformorethanamonthd.
YouchangeyoursmokealarmbatteryAnswers:1(b),2(d),3(a),4(c),5(b),6(d),7(a),8(d),9(d),10(b)