– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County, OSU Extension
The most common multipurpose extinguisher, ABC, is suitable for most instances encountered by a gardener or farmer.
The holidays are approaching and many are eager to decorate, welcome family and friends into their warm homes, and celebrate. Before company arrives or before you leave for a visit, think about fire safety around your home, garage, and/or barn.
According to the American Red Cross structural fire risk increases in the fall and winter, with December and January being the peak months. Statistically fires are more likely to occur on Saturdays and Sundays in the evenings, while people are home (www.redcross.org/homefires).
Common inadvertent causes of structural fires are cooking, heating units, electrical distribution/lighting, and smoking. The holidays can sometimes lead to situations where all of these things could be risks at the same time. Think about that movie, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and the series of events that led to their holiday fire. Don’t let that happen to you!
Be smart about fire safety to reduce the risks of fire for your family, home, livestock, and equipment.
Inspect your heating system. Examine your chimney and have a professional sweep your chimney on a regular basis. Check fuel holding tanks for damaged walls. Dents and rust can be indicators of weak points. Change air filters in your ventilation system. Check the batteries in your thermostat. Also be sure that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are well placed with fresh batteries. If you use portable heaters, always follow directions for the device. Portable heaters are one of the top causes of structural fires. Do not obstruct air flow around the heater. Make sure the power source is operating correctly. Never set portable heaters on soft surfaces, near walls, electrical cords, water, and do not plug them into extension cords or power strips.
Holiday décor is often flammable, so be cautious about how it is placed and inspect electrical décor before incorporating it into a display. Never place evergreen foliage near heat sources because it can be highly flammable. Make sure to keep your live Christmas tree adequately watered to reduce it’s flammability and retain it’s needles longer.
The National Fire Protection Association reports that between 2013 and 2017, U.S. fire departments responded to an average 160 home fires that started with Christmas trees each year. Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in 44 percent of home Christmas tree fires. In one-quarter of the Christmas tree fires, some type of heat source, such as a candle or equipment, was too close to the tree (https://www.nfpa.org/).
Barn fires are also too common in the colder months. Common initial sources include electric appliances, heaters and heat lamps, fans, exposed wires, dirty outlets, smoking, wet hay, and machinery. Few barns are appropriately equipped with fire extinguishers. In addition, many barns are inadequately insured for their contents. To improve fire prevention methods on your farm make it a point to scout for hazardous conditions around the barn.
Inform everyone who works in your barn of what area are concerns for fire development, what to do in the case of a fire, and to always keep exit pathways clear. Establish a cleaning schedule to remove dirt and dust from areas where electrical outlets and appliances are used. Install appropriate covers on outlets and light bulbs. Extension cords should be industrial grade and checked for faults regularly. Permanent electrical wiring should be encased in conduit. Store flammable liquids, hay, bedding, and fuel away from animals and machinery. Keep brush and trees trimmed back from the structure and maintain space between structures to prevent fire from easily spreading.
Some tools that are easy to install in homes, barns, and garages that can help reduce the damage in the case of a fire include: ABC fire extinguishers in reach of high risk areas, smoke detectors with amplified sirens, and/or cameras equipped with audio. Once you think you have corrected the fire hazards and developed a good emergency plan, it may be a good idea to ask someone from your fire department over for a visit. A second set of trained eyes may be the difference between life and death in the unfortunate event of a structural fire.
Be smart about fire hazards and stay safe while you celebrate!