Delia was frying burgers on her stove when the doorbell rang. Her dog was barking furiously at the delivery man and she quickly went out to receive the package. Then her friend called her asking if she received her gift, she then decided to open the package. She was ecstatic with the present, a new red dress just in time for the weekend party. Delia’s dog however was still barking, but was now in the kitchen.
She forgot to turn off the stove. Though it was just a few seconds, her kitchen was now on fire. She rushed in to turn off the stove. But the flames were now building up the side of her kitchen cabinets. Luckily, her neighbor heard her screaming and rushed in with a fire extinguisher, putting out the fire in just under a minute..
Cooking, an everyday thing we all do is a frequent cause of fires.
Delia is not the only property owner without her own fire extinguisher or fire safety equipment. This is quite commonplace if you think about it. We need to be more careful about fire safety and consider how fire safety equipment is a need rather than a frivolous cost for property owners..
A year ago, six individuals lost their lives in house fires in New Zealand. Pete Gallagher, the national expert for fire risk management for Fire and Emergency NZ, says there is a lot that people can do to lower the danger of an unexpected fire at home.
And one of those methods is to be more mindful of fire safety and by having a fire extinguisher accessible for such emergencies.
Another common fire incident are electrical mishaps.
According to Stuff.co.nz, of the nearly 5000 building fires that occur in New Zealand each year, approximately 1000 are caused by electrical issues.
Warning indicators of deteriorating electrical safety in your house include hot plugs and sockets or brown scorch marks, blown fuses and circuit breakers, and flickering lights, according to Worksafe NZ. Consider having your wiring checked if your circuits are frequently blowing.
A fire extinguisher for electrical fires is called a CO2 fire extinguisher. They were originally designed for use on combustible liquid fires because CO2 is not a conductor and does not leave behind any toxic residue. Moreover, a CO2 fire extinguisher is the only one that can be used to put out a blaze while it is still attached to a power source.
Some Fire Safety Basics
Having a rudimentary understanding of fire and fire safety can help reduce the number of fire incidents that occur each year.
More about Fire Formation
Oxygen and fuel react chemically to form fire. Fuel, oxygen, and heat are all you need to extinguish a blaze if you wish to do so. When the fire is contained, it is simple to remove one of these.
How Fire Extinguishers Work
Fire extinguishers typically function by isolating fuel from oxygen and extinguishing it using water. Oxygen is found in the atmosphere. It’s the same stuff we breathe. In order to extinguish a fire, you must coat the fuel in a substance that prevents oxygen from getting in contact with the fuel.
How can I tell if the fire extinguisher I have is still functioning properly?
On the fire extinguisher, look for a tag with the date and time of the last maintenance. If the oldest date on the tag is more than ten years old, your extinguisher’s days are likely numbered—it may have already lost its power to fight fire.
Affordable Whangarei, Northland and Auckland Fire Extinguishers
For an emergency, fire extinguishers and other fire safety gear should be easily within reach in any property. If you need help, we offer fire protection and safety equipment that’s readily available toWhangarei companies throughout the year. Fireco is just a phone call away!
Please call us at Fireco 0800 101 232 if you have any questions or concerns regarding your business’s fire safety. Send us an email at info@fireco.co.nz as soon as possible if you have any questions or concerns.
