Be fire savvy this winter

Gauteng Fire Services has warned that 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.

The dangers of fire was again highlighted after a popular restaurant in Muldersdrift almost burned to the ground.

Mike Francisco, spokesperson for the Muldersdrift Communication Action Group (MCAG) said statistics show that one in eight households has a cooking fire each year and most fires start in the kitchen.

“Most of these fires are caused by unattended food on the stove. The moral of the story– stay in the kitchen while cooking and never leave an open flame unattended,” Francisco said.

Every year, hundreds of people in the country are killed and millions of rands lost because of fires.

The spokesperson warned that when a fire ignites, it is not only the flames that present a danger, but the heat and harmful gas emitted can often be more life threatening.

Knowing how to treat different degrees of burns can be equally important to burn victims. It is a good idea for everyone in the household to know the fundamentals of what to do in the event of a burn accident.

Treating minor burns:

• Cool the burn. Hold the burned area under cool (not cold) running water for 10 or 15 minutes or until the pain subsides. If you do not have running water you can submerge the burned area in cool water or cool it with cold compresses. Cooling the burn reduces swelling by conducting heat away from the skin. Do not put ice on the burn.

• Cover the burn with a sterile gauze bandage. Wrap the gauze loosely to avoid putting pressure on burned skin. Bandaging keeps air off the burn, reduces pain and protects blistered skin. Avoid using fluffy cotton or other material – you do not want lint in the wound.

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