'^^-f- m IRE PREVENTION WEEK October 8 to 14, \% Cigarettes Family training in fire hazard removal, safe use of fire, and drills to escape in case of fire, can be most effectively started during National Fire Preven- tion Week. Join your neigh- bors in promoting fire safety. United States Department of Agriculture in cooperation with the National Fire Protection Association Worn Electric Cords DON'T GIVE FIRE A PLACE TO START! ©NI SAFEGUARD YOUR H Farm fire losses in 1960 were estimated at 1165 million by the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture. This is 5 percent less than the loss in 1959, the highest on record. The USDA estimate is based on actual loss rates of more than 200 representative farmers mutual fire insurance companies selected from more than 1600 such firms. Four-fifths of the losses were from fire and one-fifth from lightning damage. Building losses account for about 65 percent of the total. Almost three-fourths of the building losses were on dwellings and barns. Personal property losses were about 35 percent of the total. Livestock losses cost more than any other personal property item, and were mostly due to lightning. Loss of life from farm fires was estimated at about 850 last year by the Na- tional Safety Council. A study by the National Fire Protection Association shows that in 1959 about half of the dwelling fires in which six or more lives were lost occurred in rural homes. Misused, overheated, and defective heating or cooking equipment, flues, and chimneys caused 48 percent of these dwelling fires; smoking or matches, 15 percent; explosions, 11 percent; rubbish, incendiary (deliberate), and electrical nearly 4 percent each; and undetermined 15 percent. A similar study by this association for the year 1960 shows that of the 54 residential fires in which five or more lives were lost, 46 were dwelling fires. National Fire Prevention Week is the best time to alert farm families to stop such fires. November was the peak month for these fires and loss of life. Four-fifths of the fires occurred and 84 percent of the lives were lost in the 6 months from October through March. Nine-tenths of the fires and the deaths reported in these two studies occurred between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Most of the residence fires causing five or more deaths occurred between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. when people are asleep. Four out of every five persons who died were under 15 years of age, and two of every five were under four. Most of these people were trapped by fire. Installation of a complete sys- tem of approved fire detectors and alarms, along with fire safety training, can save lives. Farm families particularly must rely on their own fire safety training, fire prevention checkups, and private fire protection measures to safeguard their lives, income, and property. E AND FARM FROM FIRE FIRE SAFETY TRAINING Plan at least two escape routes from every room in the house, and go over plans with every member of the fam- ily. Anticipate halls and stairs being blocked by fire. Train everyone in use of escape routes until even younger children understand clearly what to do. Keep exits clear. Plan to use garage and porch roofs, ladders, and even trees to escape from upper floors. Know the phone number of the fire department serving your district; be sure firemen know how to reach your farm. Get everyone out of the house immediately the minute you discover fire or smoke. Don't stop to dress children or save valuables. Always have a flashlight handy. Don't open hot doors. Feel doors first; if they're hot, keep them closed and get out another way or wait for help. Closed wooden doors can keep fire and smoke out of a room for several minutes. Never leave children alone in your home. Instruct your babysitter in your escape plans; see that she knows how to I get in touch with fire department, parents, doctor, and I police. 1 Beware of reentering burning house; even the smallest, ! most harmless-looking fire can give off deadly smoke and fire gases. FIRE PREVENTION 1 Keep your home free of all fire hazards by regular inspections. Avoid carelessness with smoking or matches. Do not allow trash or oily rags to accumulate in homes I or farm buildings. A clean house seldom burns. Keep at- tics, lofts, cellars, and other storage places clear of trash and accessible for firefighting. Remove grass, weeds, and dry vegetation from around buildings and along fence rows. Burn trash regularly, in small quantities, in a safe place, and at a safe distance from buildings, preferably in a good receptacle. Check local regulations. Replace damaged or worn lightning rods or wires. Be sure ground connections are secure. Install lightning surge arresters on load side of meter to reduce interior damage to the home and to protect meter service, wiring, and electrical appliances. When Building- Build in fire-stops — barriers of wood or masonry be- tween studs, joists, rafters, or stringers and block off open channels seen from basement or attic to prevent spread of smoke and fire. Use wallboards made of gypsum, cement, asbestos, and similar materials, as well as plaster, to resist fire and pre- vent flame spread. Use fire resistant roofing or shingles of asphalt, asbestos cement, slate or metal. Have a qualified electrician install wiring in your new home or when you remodel. Use electrical fuses, ap- pliances, and extension cords properly. Install a good heating plant and locate it so that a fire originating in it will not block escape. See that it has ade- quate clearance from walls and ceilings, and ample air supply for combustion. Clean and inspect it regularly. FIRE PROTECTION Install only labeled (UL) automatic fire detection and alarm units in accordance with maximum spacing rules. Complete coverage of the house is essential for reliable protection. Install a telephone on your yard pole (a safe distance from any building) and post the number of the local fire department on it. Have labeled (UL or FM) pump tank (water) extin- guisher, for paper, wood, and similar fires, and a dry chemical or carbon dioxide unit for flammable liquid, grease, or electrical fires. Attach water pump electrical connection to your yard pole on the line side of main switch to assure power in case of fire. Have at least a 50-foot length of garden or larger size hose connected for ready use inside the home. Install a 3,000-gallon tank (cistern) in a central location, unless you have water for fire fighting available from a pond, stream, or hydrant. Make sure that this water can be reached by the fire engine suction hose. Keep a sturdy, safe ladder long enough to reach to the roof of your highest building: and other firefighting tools handy and in good order. Have well-maintained roads and lanes leading from highway to your farm and buildings. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 3 1262 08851 7395 DON'T GIVE FIRE A PLACE TO START ... but IN CASE OF FIRE (C) N FP A Every person living on a farm should know what to do. The most important steps are: • Get everyone out of and away from the building on fire. • Call for help from nearest telephone — or make sure someone goes for help. • Try to keep the fire from spreading if you can do so without risk to your life. Pro- tect other buildings, livestock, and property. • Help the fire department to get water and move equipment as directed. • Take steps to protect property against weather damage after the fire is out. HELP YOUR RURAL FIRE DEPARTMENT Ask your rural fire department to make a pre-fire survey of your property to: • Give it a definite address or location number. ^ • Know the general floor plan of your house, including escape routes. • Know room locations of your family, especially of invalids and children. • Know locations of all your livestock buildings. • Know location and types of your farm buildings and access for firefighting. • Know location and amount of water ready for firefighting on or near your property. • Know location of flammable or toxic liquids, gases, or chemicals. • Know location of electrical master switches. • Anticipate possible traffic control problems in event of fire. This information carried in a file on the rural fire apparatus can save lives and property. JNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PUBLICATIONS FB 1838 Electric Light for the Fariiislead. L 259 How To Build a Farm Pond. FB 1948 Sagebrush Biifiiing ... Good and L .375 F'ire DeiJartiiieiits for Rural Bad. Communities. How T FB 1989 Managing the Small Forest. ganize and Operate Thefi FB 2070 Five Resi.^tant .Construction on L 1.36 Electric Water Pumps on the the Farm. , Farm. FR 2101 Watch Your Step! Avoid Farm L -145 Electric Heating of Hotbed Accidents. L 454 Making Household F^ t"6 2iofj Lightning Protection for the Flame Resistant. Farm. L 4R0 Standby Electric Power Equi])- FB 2150 Safeguard Your F^arm Against ment. Fire. , FB 2156 Safe Use and Storage of Flam- !:u'.ble Liquids and Gases on the Farm. I