Rio Grande Fire Department

On this page you will find various links and information for providing a safe environment for your family. You'll be able to find information on ways to explain fire prevention to your children as well as ways to increase the safety in you homes.

SAFETY LINKS:

Fire Safety for Kids

Smokey the Bear Kids Page

Home Safety Checklist

Fire Escape Plan

Winter Safety Tips

Stop, do not run, if your clothes catch on fire.
Drop to the floor in a prone position.
Cover your face with your hands to protect it from the flames.
Roll over and over to smother the fire. Don't stop until the flames have been extinguished.
If you are near someone whose clothing catches on fire, be sure to stop them from running and make them STOP, DROP and ROLL.

Once the fire is out, you must treat a burn injury.
Cool a burn with water.
Then call 9-1-1.

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas. Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell the toxic fumes, CO can kill you before you are aware it is in your home. At lower levels of exposure, CO causes mild effects that are often mistaken for the flu. These symptoms include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue. The effects of CO exposure can vary greatly from person to person depending on age, overall health and the concentration and length of exposure.

Potential Sources of Carbon Monoxide:

• unvented kerosene and gas space heaters
• leaking chimneys and furnaces
• back-drafting from furnaces
• gas water heaters
• wood stoves
• fireplace
• gas stoves
• generators and other gasoline powered equipment
• automobile exhaust from attached garages
• tobacco smoke

Incomplete oxidation during combustion in gas ranges and unvented gas or kerosene heaters may cause high concentrations of CO in indoor air.  Worn or poorly adjusted and maintained combustion devices (e.g., boilers, furnaces) can be significant sources, or if the flue is improperly sized, blocked, disconnected, or is leaking.  Auto, truck, or bus exhaust from attached garages, nearby roads, or parking areas can also be a source

Health Effects of Carbon Monoxide:

At low concentrations, fatigue in healthy people and chest pain in people with heart disease. At higher concentrations, impaired vision and coordination; headaches; dizziness; confusion; nausea. Can cause flu-like symptoms that clear up after leaving home. Fatal at very high concentrations.  Acute effects are due to the formation of carboxyhemoglobin in the blood, which inhibits oxygen intake.  At moderate concentrations, angina, impaired vision, and reduced brain function may result.  At higher concentrations, CO exposure can be fatal.

Levels in homes:

Average levels in homes without gas stoves vary from 0.5 to 5 parts per million (ppm). Levels near properly adjusted gas stoves are often 5 to 15 ppm and those near poorly adjusted stoves may be 30 ppm or higher.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends that every home should have a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. CPSC also urges consumers to have a professional inspection of all fuel- burning appliances -- including furnaces, stoves, fireplaces, clothes dryers, water heaters, and space heaters -- to detect deadly carbon monoxide leaks.  CPSC recommends that every home should have at least one CO alarm that meets the requirements of the most recent Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 2034 standard or International Approval Services 6-96 standard. 

Steps to reduce exposure to Carbon Monoxide :

It is most important to be sure combustion equipment is maintained and properly adjusted.  Vehicular use should be carefully managed adjacent to buildings and in vocational programs.  Additional ventilation can be used as a temporary measure when high levels of CO are expected for short periods of time.

• Keep gas appliances properly adjusted.
• Consider purchasing a vented space heater when replacing an unvented one.
• Use proper fuel in kerosene space heaters.
• Install and use an exhaust fan vented to outdoors over gas stoves.
• Open flues when fireplaces are in use.
• Choose properly sized wood stoves that are certified to meet EPA emission standards. Make certain that doors on all wood stoves fit tightly.
• Have a trained professional inspect, clean, and tune-up central heating system (furnaces, flues, and chimneys) annually. Repair any leaks promptly.
• Do not idle the car inside garage.

What to do in the event of a Carbon Monoxide emergency:

Immediately get OUT of the contaminated environment and into fresh air. Call your local Fire Department immediately. Do not try to go back into the contaminated environment to retrieve items or to attempt rescue of others inside. At higher levels Carbon Monoxide and overcome you quickly, resulting in confusion, unconciousness and/or death. Special breathing apparatus like that used by firefighters must be worn when entering these environments.

Smoke Detectors

A smoke detector is the best early fire detection device available to the average homeowner.  With properly placed and maintained smoke detectors you increase your chances of survival by 50%.

Most residential fire deaths occur between 11 P.M. and 7 A.M. This is the time of greatest danger, when people are asleep. The primary killer is smoke and poisonous gases which overcome victims as they sleep. From the time a fire breaks out there is a limited amount of time that a person has to escape. With the early warning of a smoke detector, you can be awakened during the early stages of a fire while escape is still possible.

How much does one cost?
Most range in price from $5 - $20.

What kind of smoke detector should I buy?
Both battery-powered and house current-powered smoke detectors do a good job.  Make sure the one you choose has been tested by a nationally-recognized testing laboratory.

How many do I need?
There should be at least one detector on every floor of the house (except the attic unless it is used for sleeping space).  Additional detectors will increase the chance of early detection.

Where should I place a detector?
Smoke detectors should be placed near bedrooms either on the ceiling--at least 6 to 12 inches away from the wall--or on the wall and 6 to 12 inches down from the ceiling.  Take care to keep the detector away from drafts created by fans or air ducts.  This allows the detector to sense the smoke as it approaches the sleeping area

How do I install a smoke detector?
Battery-operated detectors can be attached directly to the ceiling or wall.  Wired-in electric detectors are somewhat more difficult to install and may require an electrician.

What maintenance do smoke detectors require?
Test the detector at least monthly by pushing the test button.  Once a year vacuum the dust from alarm air vents.  Replace batteries when you adjust your time for daylight savings each Spring and Fall. Replace  smoke detectors every 10 years even if they appear to work.

Is there anything else I should do with my smoke detector?
Yes!  Hold practice drills with your whole family so they will know what to do if your detector ever alerts you of an emergency.

Fire Extinguishers

Many lives have been lost simply because people were not prepared to deal with accidental fires. In fact, it is estimated that less that 5% of the nation's homes have fire extinguishers.

Fire extinguishers are considered first-aid equipment for controlling and putting out small fires before they become too large. However, they are no substitute for the fire department in the event of a large or major blaze.

Having the proper fire extinguisher, as well as knowing how to use it and when not to use it, is important in safeguarding your household. Selecting the proper extinguisher for your home is as simple as A-B-C. Make sure that all adult family members know how to use fire extinguishers. A unit with a gauge will enable you to check for enough pressure to do the job effectively. Most home units are disposable. Therefore, never expel the home extinguisher to see if it works. Hold practice fire drills so everyone knows how to escape a fire.

Place extinguishers in areas of potential fire hazards, but never on or near furnaces, stoves, or equipment which couldn't be approached in case it caught fire. Place one extinguisher on each floor of your home and one inside each vehicle.

How to use a Fire Extinguisher:

Even though extinguishers come in a number of shapes and sizes, they all operate in a similar manner.

Here's an easy acronym for fire extinguisher use:

P.A.S.S. - Pull, Aim, Squeeze, and Sweep

1. Pull - the pin at the top of the cylinder. Some units require the releasing of a lock latch or pressing a puncture lever.
2. Aim - the nozzle at the base of the fire.
3. Squeeze - or press the handle.
4. Sweep - Standing 6 - 8 feet away, sweep the contents from side to side at the base of the fire until it goes out.

Shut off the extinguisher and then watch carefully for a rekindling of the fire.

When to fight a fire :

You should fight a fire with a fire extinguisher only when all the following are true:

1. Evacuate all other members of the family;
2. The fire department has been called;
3. The fire is small and confined to the immediate areas where it started such as in a wastebasket, cushion, small appliance, stove, etc;
4. You can fight the fire with your back to a safe escape route;
5. Your extinguisher is rated for the type of fire you are fighting and is in good working order; and
6. You had training in the use of the extinguisher and are confident that you can operate it effectively.