Pflugerville Fire Department

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Fact Sheet: House and Building Fires

A fire can engulf a structure in a matter of minutes. Understanding the basic characteristics of fire and learning the proper safety practices can be the key to surviving a house or building fire.

BEFORE

Install smoke detectors.
Check them once a month and change the batteries at least once a year.

Develop and practice an escape plan. Make sure all family members know what to do in a fire.

Draw a floor plan with at least two ways of escaping every room. Choose a safe meeting place outside the house.
Practice alerting other household members. It is a good idea to keep a bell and a flashlight in each bedroom for this purpose.
Practice evacuating the building blindfolded. In a real fire situation, the amount of smoke generated by a fire will most likely make it impossible to see.
Practice staying low to the ground when escaping.
Feel all doors before opening them. If the door is hot, get out another way.
Learn to stop, drop to the ground, and roll if clothes catch fire.
Post emergency numbers near telephones.
However, be aware that if a fire threatens your home, you should not place the call to your emergency services from inside the home. It is better to get out first and place the call from somewhere else.

Purchase collapsible ladders at hardware stores and practice using them.

Install A-B-C type fire extinguishers in the home and teach family members how to use them.

Do not store combustible materials in closed areas or near a heat source.

Cooking
Keep the stove area clean and clear of combustibles such as bags, boxes, and other appliances. If a fire starts, put a lid over the burning pan or use a fire extinguisher. Be careful. Moving the pan can cause the fire to spread. Never pour water on grease fires.

Check electrical wiring.

Replace wiring if frayed or cracked.
Make sure wiring is not under rugs, over nails, or in high traffic areas. Do not overload outlets or extension cords.
Outlets should have cover plates and no exposed wiring.
Only purchase appliances and electrical devices that have a label indicating that they have been inspected by a testing laboratory such as Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) or Factory Mutual (FM).
Contact your local fire department or American Red Cross chapter for more information on fire safety.

DURING

Get out as quickly and as safely as possible.

Use the stairs to escape.

When evacuating, stay low to the ground.
If possible, cover mouth with a cloth to avoid inhaling smoke and gases.

Close doors in each room after escaping to delay the spread of the fire.

If in a room with a closed door.

If smoke is pouring in around the bottom of the door or it feels hot, keep the door closed.
Open a window to escape or for fresh air while awaiting rescue.
If there is no smoke at the bottom or top and the door is not hot, then open the door slowly.
If there is too much smoke or fire in the hall, slam the door shut.
Call the fire department from a location outside the house.

AFTER

Give first aid where appropriate.
Seriously injured or burned victims should be transported to professional medical help immediately.

Stay out of damage buildings.
Return home only when local fire authorities say it is safe.

Look for structural damage.

Discard food that has been exposed to heat, smoke, or soot.

Contact insurance agent.
Don't discard damaged goods until after an inventory has been taken. Save receipts for money relating to fire loss.

Heating Devices
Heating devices such as portable heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces demand safe operation. Use portable heaters in well-ventilated rooms only. Refuel kerosene heaters outdoors only. Have chimneys and wood stoves cleaned annually. Buy only approved heaters and follow the manufacturers' directions.

Smoke Detectors
Smoke detectors more than double the chance of surviving a fire. Smoke detectors sense abnormal amounts of smoke or invisible combustion gases in the air. They can detect both smoldering and burning fires. At least one smoke detector should be installed on every level of a structure. Test the smoke detectors each month and replace the batteries at least once a year. Purchase smoke detectors labeled by the Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) or Factory Mutual (FM).

The U.S. Fire Administration has more information on fire safety and firefighting.

10 Simple Steps to Protect Your Home from Wildland Fire

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12/22/2002

Wildfire can strike home if you have not taken some steps to protect your house
and property. The actions and precautions listed below are designed to help you
prepare your home and lessen the threat of wildland fire damage to you and your
property.

1. LPG tanks should be far enough away from buildings for valves to be shut off in
case of fire. Keep area around the tank clear of flammable vegetation.

2. Store gasoline in an approved safety can away from occupied buildings.

3. All combustibles such as firewood, wooden picnic tables, boats, stacked lumber,
etc. should be kept away from structures.

4. Clear roof surfaces and gutters regularly to avoid build-up of flammable materials
such as leaves and other debris.

5. Remove branches from trees to a height of 15 feet or more.

6. In rural areas, clear a fuel break of at least 3 times the fuel length around all structures.

7. Have fire tools handy such as: ladder long enough to reach your roof, shovel, rake,
and a bucket or two for water.

8. Place connected garden hoses at all sides of your home for emergency use.

9. Assure that you and your family know all emergency exits from your home.

10. Assure that you and your family know all emergency exits from your neighborhood.

A few things you should be aware of during these dry, warm periods...

1. Know if there is or is not a burning ban in place for your town, city, or county.

2. If you burn, clear a large area on the ground of any combustible material, such as
grass, leaves, and scrap wood, burn only what you want to burn.

3. Do not leave your burn pile unattended and have a hose at the ready.

For more information, visit the Firewise Communities Project website.

This article is from the Texas Forest Service "10 Simple steps"

TCESD#2 / Pflugerville FD

Monthly Incident Counts By Station

Alarm Date Between {01-01-2007} Thur {12-31-2007}

Station

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Total

Percent

166

154

179

182

183

166

229

196

186

182

200

229

2245

43.76%

140

132

136

142

126

115

107

113

122

136

116

149

1534

29.94%

580

11.32%

767

14.97%

Total Runs By Month
Jan	396	Feb	379	Mar	414	Apr	427	May	422	Jun	386
Jul	446	Aug	405	Sep	438	Oct	463	Nov	432	Dec	515

Grand Total Runs: 5123

2006 Year Total: 3323

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