Evacuation
Appendix 1 - Fire Fighting For Homeowners (Safety & Techniques)
Personal
Preparation and Safety -
Test your body by cutting
brush during the hottest part of the day.
If this fatigues you, you may not be in shape for fighting fire.
Clearing more brush early in the season will make you more fit, and
for less work when the fire comes.
Clothing
-
See
Appendix 2 or link on web.
Tools
-
One shovel per person, other advanced fire
tools, McCleods, pulaskis and back pumps.
Water
-
Place hoses at every corner of the house (50
- 100’) with an adjustable nozzle.
If there is a flammable
roof have a hose on the roof.
Spray water at the base of the flames on the burning material, not at the
flames in the air.
Don’t waste water!
Only wet roof and deck
if you have power and unlimited water supply, otherwise save for use on
flame or embers. An additional
water supply is very important.
You should design a system using gravity or
gas powered pump, as in most cases there will be no power during a fire.
Firefighting
-
Start monitoring for embers as soon as they
begin to fall. They tend to roll
off the roof and accumulate within 10 feet of the foundation.
When heavy smoke starts to come over your house, then ember can start
to fall. Smaller embers may self
extinguish, but larger hot embers need to be put out with water or placed in
a bucket or water. If you still
have electrical service and unlimited amount of water, start sprinklers when
embers begin to fall.
Unless your are trained
in fire fighting and have the right protective clothing, do not directly
attack fire flames higher than your knee, as control with garden hoses will
be difficult. Use the dry
chemical extinguishers on small fires inside the house.
They are not as effective on extinguishing grass or brush fires and
should not be used on them.
Stay hydrated; do not
work to total fatigue, save some energy for escape if necessary.
A fatigued person will be unsafe in a fire situation.
Pace yourself, know your limits.
Drinking water during any physical activity is very important and
reduces fatigue. Frequent small
drinks of water help to prevent heat injuries. One may consume up to a
gallon of water when fighting fire. Drink before thirsty.
Consider purchasing
backpack fire fighting equipment.
Most will weigh 50 lbs full.
Herbicide sprayer have too fine of water stream to fight a flame
front. They can be retrofitted
with a ¼ nozzle that will provide the volume of water to extinguish the
fire.
200 Litton Dr., Suite 310, Grass Valley, CA 95945