The Elide Fire Extinguishing Ball
WESTERN RESERVE FIRE MUSUM & EDUCATION CENTER
FIRE SAFETY SNIPPET
ELIDE FIRE EXTINGUISHING BALL
Elide Technologies mission is to bring innovative technology to the front-line of fire fighting in North America. They recently introduced a new product called the Elide Fire Extinguishing Ball which brings an additional line of defense to fire prevention and suppression solutions.
This exploding ball disperses fire-extinguishing chemicals across a 100-foot radius and is designed to activate and disperse chemicals within five seconds of coming into contact with fire. You simply roll it or throw it into the heart of the blaze. If placed in areas of high fire hazard, it will activate automatically when it comes into contact with a flame.
The fire ball is composed of a lightweight casing of rigid plastic foam with an abrasion-resistant exterior sheathing. Within its interior there is an explosive yield detonator and a variety of fire retardant chemical agent, including dry powders, two-part reactants and liquid components. This video shows it in action. Quickly extinguishing the flames.
Fireplace & Chimney Safety Tips
Western Reserve Fire Museum & Education Center
Educational Safety Tips
Fireplace & Chimney Safety Tips
Nothing quite creates a winter holiday ambiance as well as a log in the fireplace and family gathered around to bask in its warmth and glow. Of course, playing with or near fire is dangerous for children, so please remember these tips before you light your hearth.
• If possible, keep a window cracked open while the fire is burning.
• Be certain the damper or flue is open before starting a fire. Keeping the damper or flue open until the fire is out will draw smoke out of the house. The damper can be checked by looking up into the chimney with a flashlight or mirror. Do not close the damper until the embers have completely stopped burning.
• Use dry and well-aged wood. Wet or green wood causes more smoke and contributes to soot buildup in the chimney. Dried wood burns with less smoke and burns more evenly,
• Smaller pieces of wood placed on a grate burn faster and produce less smoke.
• Clean out ashes from previous fires. Levels of ash at the base of the fireplace should be kept to 1 inch or less because a thicker layer restricts the air supply to logs, resulting in more smoke.
• The chimney should be checked annually by a professional.
• Even if the chimney is not due for cleaning, it is important to check for animal nests or other blockages that could prevent smoke from escaping.
• Minimize your child's chance of burns from the hot glass front of some fireplaces, including gas fireplaces. Safety screens can be installed to reduce the risk of burns.
• Make sure the area around the fireplace is clear of anything that is potentially flammable (ie: furniture, drapes, newspapers, books, etc.). If these items get too close to the fireplace, they could catch fire.
• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Make sure it is completely out before going to bed or leaving the house. If you leave the room while the fire is burning or the firepla
Home Explosions Due to Faulty Gas Lines
WESTERN RESERVE FIRE MUSEUM AND EDUCTION CENTER
EDUCATIONAL SAFETY SNIPPET
“It sounded like a bomb went off”
Just last week another house exploded this time in the Akron area. (watch the attached news clip).
This seems to be happening way too often especially for elderly home owners, house explosion due to faulty gas lines or gas appliances.
An estimated average of 4,200 home structure fires per year started with the ignition of natural gas. These fires caused an average of 40 deaths per year. The stats from the NFPA and reports from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) show that most major gas incidents involved some type of gas leak.
Leaks or breaks were the leading factors contributing to home structure fires with the ignition of natural gas.
With the cold weather around the corner, it’s not a bad idea to have your natural gas furnaces to be inspected and serviced. Especially for the elderly whose sense of smell may be compromised and not being
Electrical Fires
WESTERN RESERVE FIRE MUSEUM AND EDUCTION CENTER
SAFETY SNIPPET
“SHOCKING”
Did you know that faulty wiring inside a residential or commercial building is the 3rd leading cause for fires in the United States?
According to the NFPA fire departments responded to an estimated 45,000 fires involving electrical failure or malfunction.
5 Common Causes of Electrical Fires
1. Faulty outlets, old and outdated appliances.
2. Light Fixtures: installing bulbs with wattage too high for the lamp or light fixture.
3. Extension Cords: Misuse of extension cords. Only use extension cords as a temporary measure.
4. Space Heaters: People tend to put portable space heaters too close to combustible surfaces.
5. Wiring: Outdated wiring often causes electrical fires. If a home is over 20yrs old, it may not have the wiring capacity to handle the increase amounts of electrical appliances.
Breakers should be triggered when circuits get overloaded, but outdated breaker boxes often have worn connectors that do not always work as they should.
Most Important Information First Responders Need to Know
WESTERN RESERVE FIRE MUSEUM AND EDUCTION CENTER
SAFETY SNIPPET
“WHAT’S YOUR EMERGENCY?
"WHAT’S YOUR ADDRESS?”
If you ever need to call 911, these are the two most important questions you’ll need to answers.
First responders need to know what they are going to help with and where they are going.
Most people do not give attention to properly placed home addresses. The idea of numbering homes began in Pont Notre Dame, Paris as far back as 1512. The purpose was to designate property ownership and to aid in administrative tasks as well as the provision of services.
What more important provision of services is there than Emergency First Responders in time of need.
Watch the video and read the attached brochure to insure your house number is clearly and properly displayed for your local first responders.
Look Before You Lock
WESTERN RESERVE FIRE MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER
EDUCATIONAL HOME FIRE SAFETY SNIPPET
LOOK BEFORE YOU LOCK
Every summer we make safety suggestions regarding kids and pets left in cars.
This year we are looking into the actual science behind this increasing problem with normal caring parents and pet owners.
David Drummond a professor of psychology at the University of South Florida has a theory of how caring, competent parents can forget their children or pets in a hot car.
He concludes that the reason is a failure of the memory system. The system called “prospective memory” involves the intent to remember to complete tasks which are out of your ordinary routine. Which is different from a system called “habit memory” which is like being on autopilot.
It is the prospective system that fails when a parent forgets a child or pet in a car. Regardless of original intent, people are intent on completing routine tasks.
It is the same as when your late for work and put your coffee or briefcase on the car roof. You get in as habit and drive off.
This failure of prospective memory has had other potential sad scenarios. Pilots not paying attention to changes in altitude, people forgetting guns were loaded. A parent leaving a baby or pet in the car is a failure of the memory system.
It is best to work on creating habits that have you always checking the back seat, leaving items to retrieve from the back seat. Or investing in a rear seat reminder device.
Hydration and the Human Body
WESTERN RESERVE FIRE MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER
EDUCATIONAL SAFETY SNIPPET
Hydration & the Human Body
The human body is 66–70% water. Under normal circumstances, the human body loses about 35–90 oz. of water a day through body waste, sweat and breathing (Maughan, 2003). During normal athletic activity, the body can lose 8–16 oz. of water per hour. The extreme conditions of firefighting demand more than this. On average, working firefighters should anticipate losing 50–70 oz. of sweat in 30–45 minutes of fire ground activity (Levine et al., 1990). For a 200-lb. firefighter, a 2% sweat-induced loss of body weight would require a post-exercise fluid intake of about 96 oz. or more, considering the individual was well hydrated before the call.
Home Fire Sprinkler Systems
WESTERN RESERVE FIRE MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER
EDUCATIONAL HOME FIRE SAFETY SNIPPETS
HOME FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
Part II on the benefits of a home fire sprinkler system especially in new construction. The video speaks for itself. Next week we'll provide detailed safety tips.
New Fire Banklet for Putting Out Car Fires
WESTERN RESERVE FIRE MUSEUM & EDUCATION CENTER
STAY AT HOME EDUCATIONAL/SAFETY SNIPPET
CONTAIN-CONTROL-ISOLATE
With more electric cars on the road, battery fires require unique and different firefighting techniques. The new fire blanket manufactured by the Darley Company helps prevent fire spread, damage from toxic gases and smoke and possible electrocution.
The use of a fire blanket cuts off the oxygen, provides initial knock down, lowers the temperature and reduces exposure to hazardous gases.
Watch the attached video to see just how well this blanket works with the use of minimal manpower .
WRFM Stove Top Fire Safety
When and How To Call 9-1-1
