Fire safety in the domestic environment is a very important issue, which at Mantellassi we know very well thanks to our experience working in England and towards which we are particularly sensitive.
This is a topic that is too often forgotten or underestimated in carrying out our daily activities. In fact, just think that in England, a country that has always paid maximum attention to the domestic fire prevention system, the figures are truly frightening: every year more than 37,000 house fires and over 260 people lose their lives, another 7,300 are injured and, unfortunately, many of these victims are children.
This is because, even if we all know (at least in general terms) the great dangers that can arise even at home with household appliances, electricity, gas and electricity, there is never enough care and attention to be paid .
Safety in the home environment is a topic that perhaps isn't talked about enough in Italy, but here too every year the total number of fire victims inside homes reaches impressive figures , especially due to inhalation of toxic gases or fires that break out suddenly.
This is why we want to commit ourselves to putting all of Mantellassi's knowledge and experience at your service, providing you with information, advice and useful behaviors to prevent fires in the home.
Let's start with some fundamental precautions:
- Do not overload electrical outlets by plugging in too many appliances or keeping them running at the same time.
- Never use damaged or frayed electrical cables.
- Never smoke on bed or soft furniture.
- Pay attention to where you place fuel, matches and lighters: away from radiators, stoves, fireplaces and out of reach of children.
- Equip each floor of the house with fire alarms, fire extinguishers and other useful devices .
- In the case of a multi-storey house: close the doors downstairs before going to sleep (so as to block the advance of any flames) and make sure there is always an easily accessible escape route. A window is usually the only way out of an upstairs room and it must always be easily accessible: remove any screens or protections, equip yourself with periodic escape drills to break glass and escape ladders. In any case, provide alternative escape routes.
- Define a precise emergency escape plan , shared among all family members or condominium members. This is crucial because the earlier a fire is detected, the lower the risk of it proving fatal (hence the importance of fire alarms and smoke detectors).
- Prepare for any emergency situations by fully understanding the possible dangers (also inform children, from an early age, about the risks of fire) and by carrying out periodic escape drills.
- Remember that the smoke from a house fire is practically impossible to pass through as it is extremely dense and toxic: in case of flames you must move while always remaining low on the floor (in a four-legged position, with hands and knees on the ground) and with your eyes, nose and throat well covered. accessible. A window is usually the only way out of an upstairs room and it must always be easily accessible: remove any screens or protections, equip yourself with tools to break glass and escape ladders. In any case, provide alternative escape routes.
- Define a precise emergency escape plan, shared among all family members or condominium members. This is essential because the earlier a fire is detected, the lower the risk that it will prove fatal (da here the importance of fire alarms and smoke detectors).
- Prepare for any emergency situations by fully understanding the possible dangers (also inform children, from an early age, about the risks of fire) and by carrying out periodic escape drills .
- Remember that the smoke from a house fire is practically impossible to pass through as it is extremely dense and toxic: in case of flames you must move while always remaining low on the floor (in a four-legged position, with hands and knees on the ground) and with your eyes, nose and throat well covered.
Types and use of fire-fighting devices
Smoke alarms
Having a well-functioning smoke detector in your home significantly decreases your chances of dying in a fire.
One is needed for each floor of the home and must be placed with great care: away from vents and near bedrooms, on the ceiling or six to twelve inches below the ceiling on the wall.
It is essential to regularly test its correct functioning and, if battery-operated, often check that the charge is optimal. If there are multiple alarms installed in the same home, it is important that they are connected, so that they are activated at the same time.
Fire extinguishers
Equipping the house with a fire extinguisher is a wise choice, because in many cases these tools allow you to put out a small fire to prevent the flames from spreading and turning it into a large fire.
However, it is essential to choose the right type of extinguisher and use it correctly, because there are different ones for different types of fires.
Fire extinguishers are classified according to the class of fire they are suitable for.
There are different classes of fires: A, B, C, D, F and Electrical.
- Class A : fires originating from solid materials; they involve common fuels such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber, waste and plastics and are usually widespread in commercial and domestic environments.
- Class B : Fires involving flammable liquids, solvents, oil, gasoline, paint, lacquer, oil-based products, and various liquid plastics; they spread rapidly and can resume even after the flames have gone out.
- Class C : Fires caused by the combustion of gases such as methane, propane, hydrogen, acetylene, natural gas and town gas.
- Class D : fires started by metals, such as aluminium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, etc. These are very difficult fires to put out, given the high temperatures and the risk of causing reactions such as explosions or the release of toxic gases.
- Class F : fires caused by combustible oils of an animal or vegetable nature, such as those used in cooking.
Former Class E: Electrical fires, i.e. those involving or started by electrical devices. Currently these fires are no longer included in the UNI EN 2:2005 standard as they can be traced back to classes A and B. There are different types of extinguishers, depending on the nature of the fire that could potentially develop.
It is essential to choose the right type , because some types of extinguishers may prove completely useless for some varieties of fires. A typical household fire extinguisher should ideally have an ABC rating and be suitable for use indoors.
Anti-arson letterboxes
Another serious problem is arson: every year the figures of arson attacks are impressive, hundreds of people are injured and dozens of people die as a result of them.
The letterbox is the most vulnerable area of a building and the installation of a fireproof mailbox can be extremely useful in eliminating the threat of arson (a typical case is flammable liquids spilled through the box): any fire is automatically extinguished by an extinguishing system which activates automatically as it is sensitive to heat.
Fire doors
Another important means of protecting the house against fire are fire doors. The fire of a fire spreads rapidly, invading all the rooms of the house in a few minutes.
The installation of fire doors and their closing during the night (that is, when fires are more common) allows the advance of flames and smoke to be limited, blocking them for at least enough time to exit the building safely and locating the damage within a room or in any case a limited area.
So, what to do?
Let's try to be much more cautious than we have been up to now: let's not take unnecessary risks and let's protect our family.
Mantellassi, sensitive to this problem, puts at your disposal all its know-how gained in 30 years of activity in the United Kingdom, offering each of its products with the Fire Retardant formula.
Possibility to request all the features, details and costs: our experts are at your service!
