Fire safety tips for winter

Winter is known for the high risk of fires breaking out.

“This was highlighted last week in Johannesburg, where two young children died in a fire in the CBD and another in Claremont,” said Mr Theunis Kotze, ADT’s general manager for the Inland Region.

According to Mr Kotze, it is important to note that when a fire ignites, it is not only the flames that present a danger, but the heat and harmful gases emitted which can often be even more life threatening.

“It is important that people know how to react when they are faced with a fire,” he said.

“Winter is traditionally a high danger period for fires because of electricity shortages, drier and more static air, overloading of power sockets and increased utilisation of home fires. Regular evening load shedding is also a potential risk,” said Mr Kotze.

He said that each year hundreds of people in South Africa are killed or injured and millions of Rands are lost because of fires. Many of these fires could have been prevented if people had known more about fire hazards and what to do in the event of a fire.

How to prevent potential fires:

•  Parents need to teach their children at a young age that fire can be dangerous and matches should not be played with.
•  Special care must be taken when using an iron. Be careful where you put it down, and never leave it unattended.
•  Never put a heater near combustible materials which can catch fire easily and burn.
•  Be careful when using a primus stove and again, never leave it unattended.
•  When using gas appliances, make sure there are no gas leaks in the connection and that the gas cylinder is in good condition. One must always use a gas appliance in a well-ventilated area.
•  Smoking can also be hazardous and no one should smoke in bed.
•  Candles are a big fire hazard. When children use candles, it should be under parental or adult supervision.
•  Candles also need to be put in proper holders to prevent them from falling over and setting fire to something. This is particularly important during load shedding when people use candles.
•  Wall plugs should never be overloaded and only one plug should be used for each wall socket.

The fire department also gave advice regarding what to do when people are caught in a fire, or if their clothes are on fire.

“Ideally, every home should have a fire extinguisher and/or a smoke detector. For small fires, sand and water work effectively to extinguish a flame,” said Mr Kotze.

There are three simple steps to follow in case of a fire:

•  Stop – Do not run away or try to remove your clothes.
•  Drop – Drop to the ground and cover your eyes and nose with your hands.
•  Roll – Roll forwards and backwards on the ground to smother the flames.

Everyone in the home should know the fire emergency number. In case of a fire, contact 10177 or phone 112 from a cellular phone.