By K C Pawling, Road Safety and Loss Prevention Specialist
For as long as I can remember, October has been fire prevention month. While I was in elementary school this month always included fire truck rides, little plastic fire hats, Smokey Bear and a lot of reading and coloring material about fire prevention. I think one of the most effective efforts made was to get young people to know what to do if you catch fire, stop drop and roll. I always seem to say that to myself whenever someone mentions fire prevention month.
As It happens Fire Prevention week is the oldest U.S. public health observance on record. For more than 100 years, Fire Prevention Week has worked to educate people about the risk of home fires and ways to minimize them. Local fire departments, schools, and community organizations can all be seen playing a role in bringing Fire Prevention Week to life in their communities each year.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) announced earlier this year that the theme for the week of Oct. 6-12 (fire prevention week) is: “Smoke Alarms-Make Them Work For You!” NFPA wants to remind us of a few key points about smoke detectors:
- Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each separate sleeping area (like a hallway), and on each level (including the basement) of the home.
- Make sure smoke alarms meet the needs of all family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
- Test smoke alarms at least once a month by pushing the test button.
- Replace all smoke alarms when they are 10 years old or don’t respond when tested.
After completing shop audits of county road department shops now for three years, and making the same finding probably 95% of the time, I want to take a moment to remind everyone of something that should be completed every month. Yep, you guessed it, inspect the fire extinguishers.
It is a terrible feeling to grab a fire extinguisher expecting it to work, before you Pull the pin, Aim the nozzle, Squeeze the handle, and find there is no need to Sweep, because it doesn’t work.
In my observation, most counties are pretty good at having fire extinguishers serviced annually by a company qualified to do so. But what should we be doing with them every month?
The following inspection of individual fire extinguishers should be completed every month:
- Tap the gauge to determine if it is in working condition and that the needle is in the green zone. If it is not, contact a certified professional to perform maintenance.
- Verify the locking pin is intact, and the tamper seal is not broken.
- Visually inspect the hose and nozzle to ensure they are in good condition and not plugged.
- Visually inspect the extinguisher for dents, leaks, rust, chemical deposits or other signs of abuse/wear, and note any findings.
- If appropriate, turn upside down and shake or strike to loosen extinguisher material inside of extinguisher. When the material is loosened, you will feel the shift in the extinguisher weight. Keep in mind extinguishers that are mounted on your equipment are subjected to vibration that may pack the powder very tightly.
- AFTER inspection is complete, date and initial the back of the inspection card.
This is a simple practice to ensure that your extinguishers will work when you need them. Having smoke alarms and fire extinguishers that are all in proper working order may just save your life.
If you need fire extinguisher training or any other training NIRMA offers, let us know and we’ll help you out. I can be reached at [email protected] OR 402-310-4417.
