Eco Sustainable Village

FIRE SAFETY

Equipment (Continued)

If time permits, the video, Fire Extinguishers: Fight or Flight, is recommended for this unit. The video provides information on the basic elements of fire and shows how to use different types of extinguishers. The video is available through:

National Fire Protection Administration

1 Batterymarch Park

Quincy, MA 02269

800/344-3555

Also recommended is the video, On Fire: A Family Guide to Fire Safety, which contains useful footage on fire chemistry, flashover, the use of a fire extinguisher, and putting out kitchen fires. This video is available through:

KCET Video

4401 Sunset Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90027

800/343-4727

If using the video(s), the following additional equipment will be required:

§ Videocassette player

§ Monitor

Notes

A suggested time plan for this unit is as follows:

Introduction and Unit Overview......................................... 10 minutes

Fire Chemistry................................................................ 10 minutes

Reducing Fire Hazards in the Home and Workplace................ 15 minutes

CERT Sizeup.................................................................... 5 minutes

Firefighting Resources...................................................... 25 minutes

Fire Suppression Safety................................................... 10 minutes

Hazardous Materials........................................................ 10 minutes

Exercise: Suppressing Small Fires...................................... 60 minutes

Unit Summary.................................................................. 5 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Notes

The construction for the fire pan is shown below.

Unit 2: Fire Safety

	Introduction and Unit Overview
Introduce Unit	Introduce this unit by welcoming the participants to Unit 2 of the CERT training program. Introduce any new instructors who will be assisting with this session. Introduce fire safety by telling the participants that during and immediately following a severe emergency, the first priorities of professional fire services are life safety and extinguishing major fires. They may be hampered by impassable roads, inadequate water supply, weather conditions, burning material, and inadequate resources.
Visual 2.1		Introduction and Unit Overview The role of CERTs in fire safety: § Put out small fires. § Prevent additional fires. § Shutoff utilities. § Assist with evacuations where necessary. Visual 2.1
	Emphasize that CERTs play a very important role in fire safety by: § Extinguishing small fires before they become major fires. This unit will provide training on how to use an extinguisher to put out small fires—and how to recognize when a fire is too big to handle. § Preventing additional fires by removing fuel sources. This unit will also describe how to ensure that a fire, once extinguished, is completely extinguished and stays extinguished.

	Introduction and Unit Overview (Continued)
	§ Shutting off utilities, when necessary and safe to do so. § Assisting with evacuations where necessary. When a fire is beyond the ability of CERTs to extinguish, CERT members need to protect life safety by evacuating the area, when necessary, and establishing a perimeter.
Instructor’s Note		Although CERTs assist with evacuations, the procedures for conducting evacuations are not covered in this course. It is recommended that evacuation be covered in supplemental training.
	Stress the important role that CERTs play in neighborhood and workplace fire safety. CERT members help in fire-related emergencies when professional responders (paid and volunteer) are delayed. When responding, CERT members should keep in mind the following CERT standards: § Rescuer safety is always the number one priority. Therefore, CERT members always: · Work with a buddy. · Wear safety equipment (gloves, helmet, goggles, mask, and boots). § The CERT goal is to do the greatest good for the greatest number.
	Unit Objectives
Visual 2.2			Unit Objectives § Explain the role of CERTs in fire safety. § Identify and reduce potential fire risks in the home and workplace. § Conduct a basic sizeup for a fire emergency. § Understand basic safety precautions. § Identify hazardous materials in the home and community. § Extinguish small fires using a fire extinguisher. Visual 2.2

Introduction and Unit Overview (Continued)

Tell the participants that at the end of this unit, they should be able to:

§ Explain the role that CERTs play in fire safety.

§ Identify and reduce potential fire risks in the home and workplace.

§ Conduct a basic sizeup for a fire emergency.

§ Understand minimum safety precautions, including:

	Safety equipment.
	Utility control.
	Buddy system.
	Back-up teams.

§ Identify locations of hazardous materials in the community and the home, and reduce the risk from hazardous materials in the home.

§ Extinguish small fires using a fire extinguisher.

Preview the unit topics by telling the group that the unit will provide them with the knowledge and skills that they will need to reduce or eliminate fire hazards and extinguish small fires. The areas that they will learn about include:

§ How fires start and what keeps them burning.

§ Identification of fire hazards in the home, neighborhood, and workplace.

§ How to conduct a fire assessment, or sizeup.

§ The main firefighting resources that are available to CERTs and how to use them.

§ Procedures for safe firefighting.

§ Hazardous materials identification.

Tell the group that, at the end of the unit, they will have an opportunity to use a portable extinguisher to put out a fire.

	Fire Chemistry
Instructor’s Note		Show a video to demonstrate any of the points in the unit.

Introduce Topic	Introduce this topic by asking the following question:
Ask Question		Does anyone know what it takes for a fire to burn?

Visual 2.3			The Fire Triangle § Heat § Fuel § Oxygen Visual 2.3
	If not mentioned by the participants, explain that fire requires three elements to exist: § Heat: Heat is required to elevate the temperature of a material to its ignition point. § Fuel: The fuel for a fire may be a solid, liquid, or gas. The type and quantity of the fuel will determine which method should be used to extinguish the fire. § Oxygen: Most fires will burn vigorously in any atmosphere of at least 20 percent oxygen. Without oxygen, most fuels could be heated until entirely vaporized, yet would not burn.

	Fire Chemistry (Continued)
	Explain that working together, these three elements, called the fire triangle, create a chemical exothermic reaction, which is fire.
PM, P. 2-3	Refer the participants to the Fire Triangle figure in the Participant Manual. Stress that if any of these elements is missing or if any is taken away, fire will not occur or will extinguish.
	Tell the group that you will now demonstrate the concept of the fire triangle by removing the oxygen from burning cotton.
Instructor’s Note		Use the following steps to demonstrate the concept: 1. Ignite a rolled-up piece of cotton, place it inside a Pyrex^® jar, and cover it tightly. 2. Wait until the flame goes out. 3. Remove the material from the jar and blow on it to demonstrate that, unless the fire is completely out and overhauled, adding oxygen may complete the fire triangle and rekindle the fire. Emphasize the need to ensure that every piece of burning material is completely extinguished. Tell the participants to think of Smokey the Bear and campfires to remember this point.

Visual 2.4			Fire Chemistry Classes of fire: § A: Ordinary combustibles § B: Flammable and combustible liquids § C: Energized electrical equipment § D: Combustible metals Visual 2.4

PM, P. 2-3

Fire Triangle

Fire Triangle: Fuel, oxygen, and heat create a chemical reaction, which causes fire.

	Fire Chemistry (Continued)
	Tell the participants that, to aid in extinguishing fires, fires are categorized into classes based on the type of fuel that is burning: § Class A Fires: Ordinary combustibles such as paper, cloth, wood, rubber, and many plastics.
Instructor’s Note		Reemphasize the need to overhaul Class A fires (i.e., ensure that every piece of burning material is completely extinguished).

	§ Class B Fires: Flammable liquids (e.g., oils, gasoline) and combustible liquids (e.g., charcoal lighter fluid, kerosene). These fuels burn only at the surface because oxygen cannot penetrate the depth of the fluid. Only the vapor burns when ignited. § Class C Fires: Energized electrical equipment (e.g., wiring, motors). (When the electricity is turned off, the fire becomes a class A fire.) § Class D Fires: Combustible metals (e.g., aluminum, magnesium, titanium). Stress that it is extremely important to identify the type of fuel feeding the fire to select the correct method and agent for extinguishing the fire.
Instructor’s Note		Ask the group if anyone has any questions about fire chemistry.
	Explain that the next part of the unit will deal with reducing fire hazards in the home and workplace.

Reducing Fire Hazards in the Home and Workplace

Introduce Topic

Explain that this section will deal with identifying and preventing fire hazards in the home and workplace.

Introduce this topic by asking the following question:

Ask Question

What are potential fire hazards in homes or workplaces?

Allow the group time to respond. Provide suggestions of additional potential fire hazards.

Emphasize that part of CERT planning is to identify hazards in the area that would affect them in an emergency. This information is important to professional responders when they arrive on scene.

Ask Question

What measures have you taken to mitigate or prevent the hazards?

Use the participants’ responses to make the following points:

§ Each of us has some type of fire hazard in our home or workplace. Most of these hazards fall into three categories:

· Electrical hazards

· Natural gas hazards

· Flammable or combustible liquids

Point out that homes and workplaces can and do have other hazards, including incompatible materials stored in close proximity to each other.

§ Simple fire prevention measures will go far in reducing the likelihood of fires:

· First, locate potential sources of ignition.

Then, do what you can to reduce or eliminate the hazards.

	Reducing Fire Hazards in the Home and Workplace (Continued)
	Electrical Hazards
Visual 2.5		Reducing Fire Hazards in Home and Workplace § Avoid the “electrical octopus.” § Don’t run cords under carpets. § Replace broken or frayed cords. § Maintain appliances. Visual 2.5
	Provide the group with examples of common electrical hazards and simple ways that they can be reduced or eliminated: § Avoid the “electrical octopus.” Eliminate tangles of electrical cords. Don’t overload electrical outlets. Don’t plug power strips into other power strips. § Don’t run electrical cords under carpets. § Replace broken or frayed cords immediately. § Maintain electrical appliances properly. Repair or replace malfunctioning appliances.

	Reducing Fire Hazards in the Home and Workplace (Continued)
	Point out that emergencies sometimes occur despite our best efforts. In the event of an electrical emergency: § Know where the power shutoffs for electrical appliances are. § Know where the power shutoff for circuit breakers or fuses is and how to shut off the power. § Unscrew individual fuses or switch off smaller breakers first, then pull the main switch or breaker. § When turning the power back on, turn on the main switch or breaker first, then screw in the fuses or switch on the smaller breakers.
	Stress that the participants should not enter a flooded basement to shut off the electrical supply because water conducts electricity.
PM, P. 2-6	Refer the participants to the figures, Circuit Box and Fuse Box in the Participant Manual.
Instructor’s Note		Check with a representative from the local utility company regarding local utility protocols, and convey these to the participants. If possible, develop training models of fuse and breaker boxes to allow demonstrations and hands-on practice. Depending on your location, you may also choose to cover propane gas shutoffs.

PM, P. 2-6

Shutoffs

Circuit Box With Shutoff

Circuit box showing shutoff steps. Step 1: Shut off individual breakers. Step 2: Shut off main breaker.

Text Box: Fuse Box With Shutoff

Fuse box showing shutoff steps.
Step 1: Pull out individual fuses.
Step 2: Pull out main fuse.

	Reducing Fire Hazards in the Home and Workplace (Continued)
	Natural Gas Hazards
	Explain that natural gas presents two types of hazards. It is an: § Asphyxiant that robs the body of oxygen. § Explosive that can easily ignite.
Visual 2.6		Reducing Fire Hazards in Home and Workplace § Install a natural gas detector. § Locate and label gas shutoffs. Visual 2.6
	Provide the participants with several examples for reducing natural gas hazards: § Install a natural gas detector near the furnace and hot water tank. Test the detector monthly to ensure that it works.
	§ Locate and label the gas shutoff valve(s). (There may be multiple valves inside a home in addition to the main shutoff.) Know how to shut off the gas and have the proper tool for shutting off the gas handy.
PM, P. 2-7	Refer the participants to the figure, Natural Gas Meter with Shutoff in the Participant Manual.

PM, P. 2-7

Natural Gas Meter with Shutoff

The gas meter shut-off diagram indicates the shut-off valve location on the pipe that comes out of the ground. To turn off the valve, use a wrench to turn the valve clockwise one-quarter turn.

	Reducing Fire Hazards in the Home and Workplace (Continued)
	Stress that in a disaster, if they smell gas, see the indicator on the meter showing gas is flowing, or if there is a fire, the participants should turn off the meter from outside the building. After service is turned off, however, it can be restored only by a trained technician.
Instructor’s Note		Again, consult with a local utility representative to determine protocols and, if possible, create a model gas meter to demonstrate and allow practice with the procedure for shutting off the gas.
	Warn the participants never to enter the basement of a structure that is on fire to turn off any utility.
	Flammable Liquid Hazards
Visual 2.7			Reducing Fire Hazards in Home and Workplace § Read labels. § Use L.I.E.S storage procedures (Limit, Isolate, Eliminate, Separate). Visual 2.7
	Provide several examples for reducing hazards from flammable liquids: § Read labels to identify flammable products. § Store them properly, using the L.I.E.S. method covered in Unit 1.

	Reducing Fire Hazards in the Home and Workplace (Continued)
	Tell the group that they should extinguish a flammable liquid using a portable fire extinguisher rated for that class of fire. Explain that ratings for portable extinguishers will be addressed later in this unit.
Instructor’s Note		Provide the group with information about safe disposal of hazardous materials in your area.

	CERT Sizeup
Introduce Topic	Introduce this topic by explaining to the group that CERT sizeup is a continual data-gathering process that will dictate whether to attempt fire suppression and planning for extinguishing the fire.
Visual 2.8			CERT Sizeup Answer these questions: § Can my buddy and I fight the fire safely? § Do we have the right equipment? § Are there other hazards? § Is the building structurally damaged? § Can we escape? Visual 2.8
	Tell the group that CERT sizeup answers the questions: § Can my buddy and I fight the fire safely? § Do my buddy and I have the right equipment? § Are there other hazards? § Is the building structurally damaged? § Can my buddy and I escape?
Instructor’s Note		If you feel it would be appropriate, you may simplify the sizeup process below to convey just the major elements. Sizeup will be covered in detail again in Unit 5: Light Search and Rescue Operations.
	Point out that sizeup is a continual nine-step process that enables first responders to make decisions and respond appropriately in the areas of greatest need.