Fire is one of the most common risks that homes or business establishments may encounter. Not convinced? Well, consider this: a fire breaks out in a home every 89 seconds. That’s about 16 home fires a day! And these result in nearly 48 deaths and 32 injuries due to home fires per day.
Also, nearly 9% of fires in offices, stores, restaurants, and health care facilities are caused by electrical problems. And if your place of business has equipment related to cooking and heating, that figure jumps to about 40%. The presence of heating or smoking materials also leaves your home or establishment vulnerable to fires.
Fire safety is therefore a must in all homes and areas of business. Businesses usually install fire alarm systems to protect the establishment. And it also wouldn’t hurt if you have a fire alarm system installed in your home.
But aside from fire-proofing your home or business establishment, what are the other ways that you can prepare in case of a fire?
Well, it’s best to plan for the worst scenarios, and that includes someone getting hurt during a fire. And that means you should have a first aid kit that is specifically for fire-related wounds or injuries and for fire protection.
What is a first aid kit for fire safety?
A fire safety first aid kit is a collection of supplies put together either in a portable bag or box that you may need for your home or place of business in case a fire breaks out. Unlike a regular first aid kit, as mentioned above, a fire safety first aid kit’s contents are used to treat fire-related injuries. Examples of these are cuts, scrapes, or bruises that you may get while trying to escape a fire.
Of course, your kit should also be able to treat worse fire-related conditions such as burns and smoke inhalation. And speaking of smoke inhalation, your kit should also contain supplies that will protect you from breathing smoke in as you clear the premises. A fire safety first aid kit should also contain materials that will protect you and prevent severe injuries or loss of life when a fire has spread throughout your home or establishment.
Why do I need a first aid kit as part of fire safety?
Even if generally the first instinct of people is to get out of the building during a fire, it is not uncommon for people to sustain injuries. Given this, there should be a first aid kit accessible in the area where people are safe from fires.
Aside from it being portable, it should also be identifiable and easily accessible, whether while a person escapes the fire or immediately after for treatment.
What items should be in a fire safety first aid kit?
Items to protect you against fire
Here are some items that are a must-have in your fire safety first aid kit, as these can help protect you against fires or escape from them:
- Fireproof blanket. A fireproof blanket is a flame-resistant material that can be used to either extinguish a small fire by putting the blanket over the flame or as protection by wrapping the blanket around you as you evacuate during a fire. There are commercially available high-grade fireproof blankets that are packaged small enough not to take up too much space in your fire safety first aid kit.
- Flashlight. Fires tend to trigger loss of electricity. You may not be able to see where you need to go. Rescuers may also not be able to see you if there are no lights. A flashlight that’s powerful is your best bet to seeing and being seen.
- Fire-resistant or fire-retardant cloth. Smoke inhalation can be deadly, so make sure you protect yourself by putting this cloth over your mouth and nose as you escape.
- Whistle. The whistle is for rescue purposes, in case you find yourself trapped during a fire and need to call the attention of firefighters to help them locate you.
Items for treating minor injuries
Items that are used for taking care of minor injuries are the following:
- Antibiotic ointment. This ointment helps prevent infections of wounds that you might get as you escape the fire. You can also use this to prevent infection of burn wounds and keep the burnt area or areas moist. Of course, make sure to clean the wounded area with soap and water before applying the ointment.
- Aloe vera gels. Aloe vera is a medicinal plant used to treat burns. Its soothing, moisturizing, and cooling properties is beneficial for healing burn wounds. There are aloe vera gels that are commercially available in drugstores or retail stores.
- Gauze pads and scissors. Burns from a fire are painful and leave your skin prone to infection. And while cleaning your wound with soap and water and applying antibiotic ointment may be the first line of treatment for your injury, covering it with a non-adhesive gauze pad will help protect it from further infection. Make sure it’s non-adhesive so the pad doesn’t stick to the wounded skin, which is very painful. The gauze also helps absorb the fluid from your burn to keep the wound area as dry as possible. Don’t forget to include scissors so that you can cut up the gauze pad to the size that is exact for the wound since the gauze pad is hard to rip apart with your hands.
A reminder about treatment
Once the injury has been treated, expect to feel pain, especially in the wound area. Have a pain reliever in your first aid kit to temper the discomfort, pain, or inflammation from your wound. While waiting for the medical team to arrive to further treat any injuries due to the fire, you can deal with the pain by taking an over-the-counter pain reliever, which you should also include in the fire safety first aid kit.
Also, remember that this is just the initial treatment. It is best that a licensed medical professional make an assessment of your condition. They can administer better treatment, especially if you have severe injuries.
Prepare your business with Fire Alarm Testing Inc. in San Francisco.
With nearly 3,000 fires happening on a daily basis, it is important that your home or place of business is kept safe from fires, or is prepared for one. A fire has the potential to damage properties and can also cause injuries or result in the loss of lives.
With so much on the line, it is best to look for Bay Area fire inspection experts to help keep your place of business prepared for and safe in case a fire breaks out. Go for a California fire inspection company that you know you can rely on for fire inspection in the Bay Area: Fire Alarm Testing Inc.
We have the most reliable fire inspection and testing personnel and fire alarm monitoring systems and equipment to keep you, your family, your community, and your business safe and worry-free.
Contact us today and let’s get started in keeping your homes and places of business safe from fires. We look forward to hearing from you!
