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JOB SEARCH What To Do In Case Of Fireby Susan McElrathPrinter Friendly Version p>Most fires start out small, but after a few minutes they can be out of control. It's important to act fast to sound the alarm and just important to know what to do and to do it fast. This week's Safety Topic deals with what to do in case of a fire. THINK FAST AND ACT WITH CAUTION: When you first discover a fire determine what to do immediately. If the fire is small and you have the proper fire extinguishers, PUT IT OUT. SOUND THE ALARM: Do not underestimate any fire. If the fire is too much for you to handle, report it immediately. WARN THE PEOPLE: Warn all people in the area immediately so they can get to places of safety. This is especially important in the case of fires in buildings. STAND BY: Stay near, but at a safe distance from the fire. Meet and tell the fire fighters where the fire is. They can waste valuable minutes if they have to find it themselves. FIRE FIGHTING: Everyone is responsible for preventing fires. But everyone is not obligated to fight major fires. In general, never join in the fire fighting unless your help is requested by the firemen. CORRECT EXTINGUISHERS: Different fire extinguishers are recommended for each type of fire. For CLASS A fires (wood, textiles, rubbish) use foam or water. For CLASS B fires (grease, motor vehicle, flammable liquids) use foam, dry chemical, carbon dioxide or vaporizing liquid. NEVER use a water-type extinguisher on live electrical equipment. You can be electrocuted instantly by the electrical current following the water stream to you body. NEVER throw a stream of water on a CLASS B fire. You can splatter flaming liquids over a wide area, spreading the fire out of control. To summarize what we have covered here you should adhere to the following guidelines: NO MATER WHERE YOU ARE, KNOW WHERE THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ARE AND HOW TO USE THEM CORRECTLY SO THAT YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ACT QUICKLY. KNOW WHAT TO DO AND DO IT QUICKLY ACT SAFELY AND WITH CAUTION SOUND THE ALARM WARN OTHERS IN THE AREA STAND BY TO DIRECT THE FIREFIGHTERS TO THE FIRE STAY BACK AND OUT OF THE WAY UNLESS YOU ARE ASKED TO HELP If you follow these simple guideline you may be able to put out a small fire or at least keep a small fire under control. |