1940 1945 1950 1955 Year Reduce These Farm Fire Losses Farm fire losses increased by nearly one-fifth since 1950 and by 2'/2 percent in the past year. Remove the fire hazards on your place before it is too late. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT of AGRICULTURE in cooperation with THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION 1958 mm,:i STOP THE CAUSES OF m Fire Losses Ca EQUIPMENT THAT WILL HELP SAVE PROPERTY Fire Prevention Lightning rods are practically a must in certain parts of the country. Replace rods or wires that are damaged or worn. Be sure ground connections are secure. Lightning arresters will reduce interior damage to farm homes and their electrical appliances, by preventing surges of electricity during thunderstorms! Connect the arrester on the line side of the meter (outside) to protect the meter, the service wiring, and the appliances on the load side. Heat lamps for brooders should be kept at least 9 inches above litter. Suspend lamps by a chain, wire, or a bracket, but not by the cord, to prevent lamps from drop- ping down and setting fire to straw or other bedding. Fire-resistant partitions. Use self-closing doors con- trolled by fusible links at partition doorways in your present and future farm buildings. They can slow down a fire between your livestock and your stored hay until the firetruck arrives. Firefighting Practical fire alarm systems are available. Install de- tectors at critical places, such as near the furnace and in the attic. Connect the alarm so that it will sound in the bedroom if the heat (at a detector) reaches 1+0° to 160° Fahrenheit. Install a telephone on your yard pole (a safe distance from any building) and post the telephone number of the local fire department on it. The outside telephone may be your only means of calling the fire department if you have a fire in your home. Fire extinguishers. Have a dry chemical powder ex- tinguisher for fighting electrical or flammable oil fires, and a 5-gallon pump water extinguisher for fighting trash fires. Water pump. Attach electrical connection to your yard pole to assure power for the pump in case of fire. Use your water pressure system for firefighting. Have 50 feet of hose and a universal connection handy for use at either the bathtub and sink, or for an outside connec- tion. Many fires start around the kitchen, attic, and basement. Cisterns for storing water. Many concrete produci plants sell 750- to 1,000-gallon precast concrete tanks tha can be assembled into larger tanks. A 3,000-gallon tan centrally located with a suitable manhole opening for suction hose is desirable. Cisterns kept exclusively fo firefighting are sound investments. In some areas the- will aho.save insurance premiums, provided you have i telephone and there is firetruck service on call. Other equipment. Necessary firefighting tools, kep handy and in good order; a sturdy, safe ladder lorn enough to reach to the roof of your highest building; anc well-maintained roads and lanes leading from the high- way to your farm and buildings are essential for fire protection. WHAT AR Fire Insurance Claim Damage from fire a Windstorm damage Damage from other Kinds of Losses A farmers' insurance payments in 1958 of moi t made in 1957. Most freu Defective heating eq Faulty chimneys and I Defective and overlo- i; Matches and smokin From January 1 to Ma 32 losses involving heat 1 loss. The company said is a total loss (of the broc fire originated) ." E THAT THREATEN YOU a Be Reduced HOME AND FAMILY The fire-safe home depends on : good construction and good family habits about fire and its dangers. Good Construction Built-in fire stops. Barriers of wood or masonry be- tween studs, joists, rafters, or stringers, or built in to present buildings to block off open wall channels, will slow up or prevent the spread of smoke and fire. Solid doors for every room can keep smoke and fire out for as long as 30 minutes. Closing bedroom doors on winter nights adds to fire safety. Good escape routes lead directly outside, not through other rooms. Windows should be large enough and low enough to climb through, and be easy for the youngest child to open. HE CAUSES? low: htning — 81 percent. percent. f — 2 percent. jany in Nebraska made loss m 60 percent over payments It causes were — '.ent. wiring systems. >5, 1959, this company paid s, averaging $747 for each lally a fire from this cause louse or barn in which the Interior finish. Wallboards made of gypsum, cement, asbestos, and similar materials are noncombustible and resist the spread of flames. Fire-resistant roofing. Use material, such as asphalt shingles, slate, asbestos, or metal. Proper wiring. For fire safety require electricians to use the National Electrical Code when wiring new and remodeled homes and farm buildings. Modern heating plants are often equipped with fire- preventing safety devices. But furnaces should be cleaned and inspected regularly. Do not install your furnace under stairs or near an entrance where fire from it might block escape. Allow adequate clearance from walls and ceilings and ample air for combustion. Family Training* Plan at least two ways to get out of every room in the house, and escape routes for every member of the family. Train everyone in their use until even the youngest child' understands clearly what to do. Keep exits clear. Don't jump from an upper story window — wait for the fireman. Know the fire department phone number and be sure the firemen know how to reach your farm. Get out of the house and, if possible, warn everyone else to get out the minute a fire or smoke is discovered. Don't stop to dress the children. Always have a flash- light handy. Stay near the floor or crawl to avoid rising gases. Hold your breath if you have to make a dash through smoke or flame. Don't open hot doors. Feel the doors first, ancj if they're hot, keep them closed and get out another way or wait for help. Never leave children alone in your home. Instruct your babysitter in your escape plans and see that she knows how to get in touch with the fire department, parents, doctors, and police. Never go back into a burning building for any reason — even the smallest, most harmless-looking fire can give off deadly smoke and fire gases. Keep your home free of fire hazards by regular inspec- tions. The fire department can help in this. ' For further information, see FB 2101, Watch Your Step. UIJIV£RSITY OF FLORIDA 3 1262 08851 7098 FIRE HURTS YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOUR NATION In the last 10 years, fire has killed more than 100,000 perspns, and burned and disfigured many hundred thousands more. Each year over 11,000 people in the United States die — needlessly — in fires, and more than twice that number are severely burned or disfigured for life. National Fire Protection records show. In 1958 alone there were about 2 million fires in the United States, with a total loss of about 11,500 lives and $1,305 million in property. The challenge of Fire Prevention Week is to reduce this tragic toll. Each community can do its part. Community Fire Protection. Protection begins with prevention. Rural fire departments are being encouraged to conduct year-round prevention programs in cooperation with organizations and groups serving the rural community. A community fire department, equipped and trained to put out or con- trol fires, is essential for protection. At least 44 States have laws pertaining to rural fire protection districts. IN CASE OF FIRE Be prepared for firefighting, but "Don't Give Fire a Place To Start." Every person living on a farm should know what to do. The most important steps are: • 1. Get everyone out of and away from the building on fire. • 2. Call for help from nearest telephone — or make sure someone goes for help. 9 3. Try to keep the fire from spreading. Protect other buildings, livestock, and property. • 4. Assist the fire department in getting water and moving equipment as directed. • 5. Take steps to protect property against weather damage after the fire is out. Rural telephones, fire extinguishers, farm and home water pressure systems, farm ponds, water cisterns, tank trucks with trained firefighters , are all essential to protect farm families and property from fire. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PUBLICATIONS Fire Resistant Construction on the Farm. Farmers' Bull. 2070. Watch Your Step. Farmers' Bull. 2101. Lightning Protection for the Farm. Farmers' Bull. 2136. Fire Departments for Rural Communities. How To Organize and Operate Them, Leaflet 375. Issued September 1959 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTJNG OFFICE: 1959 O 514732