How Not to Burn Alive

JOSEPH ALAN NEY-JUN
Staff Writer

Fire, the most basic building block of society, can also burn society back down to ashes. According to the Red Cross, 93 percent of all U.S. disasters are fires, whether by natural or man-made causes. Every two and a half hours, a person is killed in home fire. How can people prepare for a home fire?

Most house fires are caused by carelessness. Many people in America underestimate the dangers of fires. Unsafe cooking, heaters and discarded cigarettes are the leading causes of home fires. This being said, having a working smoke alarm to be vigilant for you decreases the chance of a major fire by half!

During a large fire, residents should vacate the building immediately. The smoke from fire contains a dangerous chemical called carbon monoxide. It is just as likely to kill and more likely to cause permanent damage than the fire itself. Whether one lives in an apartment or a house always alert your neighbors. A fire escape plan should be made and practiced to get out of any room. Oxygen fuels fire. Smothering a flame will extinguish it. “Stop, drop and roll is a tactic to smother the flames on oneself. Certain fluids like gasoline and oils are highly flammable. Any spills should be cleaned up with a disposable rag.

While it may seem safer just to never get near a match or electrical outlet for the rest of your life, all it takes is caution to not cause a fire in the first place. Carelessness is the real leading cause of house fires in the world. Be vigilant.

Further and more in-depth safety guidelines can be found on the website of the U.S. Fire Administration.