Give the Gifts That Save Lives

OK, so maybe safety equipment isn’t going to top any little boy or girl’s wish list for Christmas, but items like fire extinguishers are among the most thoughtful gifts you can give your family and friends. 

Dennis Ahrens, Fire Chief for the town of Beloit, helped us assemble the list below of the safety equipment he recommends for apartment dwellers, homeowners and farmers alike, along with a few pointers to help you buy the right kind for your situation and budget.

Smoke detectors
“Even with the laws about having smoke detectors in dwellings, you’d be surprised at how many incidents we go on where the batteries are not working or missing, or there still just isn’t a smoke detector there,” Chief Ahrens said. That’s why he puts smoke detectors (along with AA and 9 volt batteries) at the top of his list of home safety equipment must haves.

Just as there are different types of fires, there are different types of smoke detectors. Ionization detectors are more sensitive to, and will alert you faster, when a fast moving, high flame fire has broken out.  Photoelectric detectors, on the other hand,are quicker at sensing smoldering, smoky fires. Because there’s no way of knowing which type of fire you’re most likely to face, the US Fire Administration recommends either using both, or buying a dual sensor detector.

The other choice you’ll need to make when it comes to selecting your smoke detector is whether you prefer one that is connected to your home’s wiring, or battery powered.  In either case, your smoke detector should last between 8-10 years.

Ideally, smoke detectors should be placed inside and outside sleeping areas to alert you to late night fires.  At a minimum, however, you should have one on each floor of your home.  Additional units could be placed in your garage or outbuildings, especially if you operate machinery, or use portable heaters in those locations, but dust or moisture may make these units harder to maintain and less reliable.

Carbon monoxide detectors
The natural gas used to heat many homes today has had a distinct odor added to it to make leaks easier to pinpoint and deal with quickly.  Carbon monoxide, however, is an odorless gas that is deadly in higher concentrations.  Since a tiny amount of carbon monoxide is given off when several appliances (including stoves and clothes dryers) are first turned on, it’s recommended that carbon monoxide detectors not be placed within 50 feet of these common appliances.  It’s typically when there’s a malfunction in an appliance, such as a small tear in a dryer vent that the gas can build up to dangerous levels in your home. 

It’s recommended that carbon monoxide detectors be placed on the ceiling in each sleeping area, or at the very least, alongside smoke detectors on each level of your home.  Their batteries should also be changed each year and you can expect your unit to last about five years.

Fire Extinguishers
There are three distinct types of fires:

• Class A - common combustible fires involving paper, wood or cloth, etc.
• Class B - flammable liquid fires involving gasoline, oil or grease, etc., and
• Class C - electrical equipment fires involving computers and appliance wiring. 

Each requires a different type of extinguishing materials to fight them. Fire extinguishers will be clearly marked with the fire class they are meant to combat.  While you don’t ever want to throw water on a grease fire because it causes an explosive reaction, for example, that doesn’t mean you need three different fire extinguishers in your home to be safe. One “multi purpose” fire extinguisher should be enough for most homes and circumstances. 

A new entry into the fire extinguisher market that’s beginning to be seen in our area is a small, one pound, aerosol can type fire extinguisher. These Chief Ahrens feels, might be useful to have in a kitchen cupboard, where they’d be convenient and easy for anyone to grab and use.  He does caution people, however, that their small size makes them suitable for only very small fires. 

“Two pounds should be big enough for most homes or apartments,” he said. “But in outbuildings or garages, especially where you have a lot of machinery, you may need a 5 or a 10 pound unit.” 

Fire extinguishers can be stored horizontally, stood on a shelf or installed on a wall near the area they are most likely to be used in.  Periodic visual checks of those units that have a dial or gauge will show whether the unit’s needle is still in the green, ready to use range or red, replacement zone.  Some fire extinguishers are meant for one time use only, while others can be refilled after use.

Safety Ladders
For anyone living in a multistory home or two or three story apartment building, portable and foldable safety ladders are also recommended.  Folding cloth or chain rung ladders are available as well as telescoping hard metal ladders.  Ladders can also be purchased in different handle widths, or in telescoping widths, to fit over standard or wide width window sills, and ladder lengths can be customized to fit your needs as well.  

All of the equipment mentioned here can be found at most local hardware stores. Some can even be purchased at your local fire station.While some pre-assembled safety kits can cost several hundred dollars, basic pieces can be purchased individually usually for less than $50.

We agree with Chief Ahrens that no home safety kit is complete without one final thing.  It’s also the one thing that won’t cost you anything this holiday season except a little time.  It’s the time you spend with your family developing or reviewing an escape plan and teaching every member of your family where to find and how to use the equipment you have.    

“We should never forget that we’re talking about savings lives, and giving people time to get out safely,” the Chief said. “Things can be replaced, but not people.”