Fire Safe Homes in:
Central Calaveras Fire and Rescue Protection District
YOU ARE AT RISK!
California-
with rugged mountains and rolling foothills, majestic forest and green
valleys, dry summers and mild winters-is the home and vacation destination
of millions of people. But these qualities, which create wonderful views
and peaceful living environment, also create the most severe wildfire
conditions in the world!
Each
year, thousands of acres of California wildland and hundreds of homes
are destroyed during a fire season that lasts from May to October- and
in some areas all year long.
Many
people don’t realize that they face such wildfire danger. But if you live
in the foothills, grasslands, or mountains of California, YOU ARE AT
RISK!
Making
this problem even worse is the growing population in wildland areas surrounding
California’s major cities. As a result, more homes are destroyed and lives
are threatened by wildfire every year.
When
the strong winds and hot dry days of summer lead to wildfires, don’t expect
a fire engine to park in front of your home to protect your family and
possessions. There just aren’t enough firefighters to protect every home
in the state. In a matter of minutes, a wildfire can jump from a burning
hillside, race through your subdivision and destroy your home and your
neighborhood.
To
protect your family, possessions and home, follow the steps outlined to
make your residence “Fire Safe”.
To
be Fire Safe you must carry out certain fire protection measure
“BEFORE” a fire even starts.
MAKE SURE EMERGENCY PERSONNEL
CAN LOCATE YOUR HOME
The
first few minutes of a fire are the most critical for saving your home
when threatened by wildfire. Firefighting personnel must be able to immediately
locate and safely travel to your home to have a chance to protect it.
Street
signs and house addresses must clearly posted, and roads must be able
to accommodate busy traffic. While fire engines and other emergency equipment
are trying to drive into your area, you must be able to escape in your
car with your family and valuable personal possessions.
Street Signs and Addresses:
Proper
identification of your home is essential. Remember, during a major wildfire,
firefighters from throughout the state arrive to assist local firefighters,
and they will rely on clear street signs and addresses to find your home.
Your
street name and address should be printed in reflective letters and numbers
that are at least 4 inches tall on a contrasting color and reflective
background. They should be made of fire resistant materials and visible
from all directions of travel for at least 150 feet.
Each
of the streets and roads in your area should be labeled, and each should
have a different name or number. In addition, your home should have its
own house number, which should be in numerical order along your street
or road.
If
your house is set back from the street or road, post your address at the
entrance of your driveway. In situations where more than one home is accessed
off a single driveway, all addresses should be posted at the street and
each appropriate intersection along that driveway.
Access to Your House:
Even
if your street and house are clearly identified for firefighters, precious
time can be lost if they have difficulty getting to your house. Narrow
roads, dead-end streets, steep driveways and weak bridges can delay firefighters
or prevent them from arriving at all. REMEMBER, fire apparatus are much
larger & heavier than your family car or truck.
Road
and street signs systems must be planned and designed to provide safe
emergency evacuations and fire department access. A minimum of 2 primary
access roads should be designed into every subdivision and development.
All
private and public streets should be designed and constructed to provide
2 traffic lanes, each a minimum of 9 feet wide-just enough space for a
fire engine and car to pass each other. Curves and intersections should
also be wide enough to allow fire apparatus easy passage and turnaround.
Roads,
driveways and bridges should be built to carry at least 40,000 lbs., which
is the average weight of a fire engine (By comparison, the average family
station wagon weighs 4,000 lbs.) Also, streets and driveways must not
be too steep or have sharp curves, which can prevent emergency equipment
from arriving to protect your home.
Additional Fire Safe
Steps:
Every
dead-end street or long driveway should have a turnaround area designed
as either a “T” or a circle large enough to allow fire equipment to turn
around. Single-lane ,one-way roads and driveways should have turnouts
constructed within sight of each other or at regular distances apart.
You
can also improve your chances for safety by clearing away flammable vegetation
at least 10 feet from all roads and at least 5 feet from driveways. If
possible, cut back and prune vegetation even more than these distances,
and make sure that trees and shrubs are widely spaced. Also, cut back
any overhanging tree branches above the road. This will provide yourself,
evacuating neighbors and arriving firefighters with even greater protection.
Each
of these steps will give firefighters a chance to find and protect your
home. A delay of only a few minutes can mean the difference between saving
your home and losing it.
Fire Safety Inside Your Home:
Smoke Detectors
Smoke
detectors have saved many lives, and may save yours. More than 50% of
fatal residential fires take place at night when people are sleeping.
If fire starts while your family is asleep, smoke detectors will wake
you up. They can make the difference between life and death in a fire
emergency.
Position
smoke detectors on the ceiling just outside each bedroom. If you have
multi-level home, install a detector on every level. If you sleep with
your bedroom door closed, place an additional detector inside your bedroom.
Before
you buy a smoke detector, make sure it is listed and approved by an independent
testing laboratory and the State Fire Marshal. Read instructions carefully
to find out exactly how and where to install it. Be sure to test your
smoke detector each month and change its batteries at least once a year,
easily done when you reset your clocks for daylight savings time changes.
Portable Fire Extinguishers
Portable
fire extinguishers, when used properly and under the right conditions,
can save lives and property by helping you put out or contain small fires,
until the fire department arrives.
Be
sure they are listed and approved by an independent testing laboratory
and the State Fire Marshal.
Extinguishers
are identified by the type of fire on which they can be used:
A-
Wood or cloth type fires-
B-
Flammable liquid type fires-
C-
Electrical type fires-
D-
Flammable metal type fires-
Make
sure that each member of your family can hold and operate the fire extinguisher
and knows where it is located. They should be mounted in easy-to-get-to-places.
Remember that fire extinguishers need annual maintenance and must be recharged
after every use.
Plan Your Escape:
It
is important that all family members know what to do in an emergency.
Even with an early warning from a smoke detector, escaping a fire can
be difficult or impossible. Fire can spread very rapidly, blocking exits
and creating dangerous, smoky conditions.
Smoke
is your enemy! Even a few breaths of smoke and toxic gases can choke and
kill you. If you become trapped in smoke, crawl low and keep your head
down-cleaner air is near the floor.
Contact
your neighbors and local authorities to pre-plan community emergency procedures,
such as standard escape routes and common meeting places, it is helpful
to develop a community alert system that can be used during emergencies.
With an alert system, anyone who spots an emergency will know how to react
so that your neighborhood will be notified in time to respond.
Take These Steps to Plan
Your Escape:
Draw
a floor plan of your home and mark all possible escape routes. Make sure
you know two safe ways out of every room, especially the bedrooms.
Prepare
a list, and keep together, all valuables to take with you in an emergency.
Young,
elderly and disabled persons may need assistance. Their rooms should be
located as close to an exit as possible. Train the rest of your family
to help them out in an emergency.
Everyone
should close doors behind them to slow the spread of fire, smoke and heat.
Decide
on an outside meeting place to assemble your family and to make sure everyone
is out.
PRACTICE
ESCAPE! Conduct home fire drills, varying them to prepare for difficult
fire situations. You may be blinded by smoke, so try practicing your escape
plan with your eyes closed.
In
The Event of a Fire, Remember the Following:
Before
you exit your room, feel the door. If it’s hot, don’t open it-use your
second way out.
If
smoke, heat or flames block your escape routes, stay in the room with
the door closed.
Stuff
sheets, blankets or towels in cracks around the door and around heating
and air-conditioning vents to keep smoke and fumes out.
If
no smoke is coming in, open a window to hang out a bright sheet or cloth
to signal for help.
If
there is a telephone in the room, dial 9-1-1 and tell emergency dispatcher
where you are.
If
your clothes catch fire: STOP, DROP & ROLL!
What
To Do When You Are Threatened By Wildfire:
First,
if you see a fire approaching, report it immediately by calling 9-1-1
Remember
to stay on the telephone to answer additional questions the dispatcher
may ask.
Next,
dress properly to prevent burns and lifelong scars. Wear long pants and
cotton or wool long-sleeved shirts
or jackets. Gloves and a damp cloth, provide added protection. Do not
wear short-sleeved shirts or clothing made of synthetic fabrics. If there
is time before the fire arrives, take the following actions:
Preparing
to Evacuate:
Park
your vehicle in the garage, heading out, with windows closed and keys
in the ignition.
Close
the garage door but leave it unlocked, disconnecting the automatic garage
door opener in case of power failure.
Place
valuable documents, family mementos and pets inside the car in the garage
for quick departure, if necessary.
If
you do evacuate, use your pre-planned route, away from the approaching
fire front.
Keep
a flashlight, portable radio and spare batteries with you at all times.
If
you are trapped by fire while evacuating in your vehicle, park in an area
clear of vegetation, close all vehicle windows and vents, cover yourself
with a blanket or jacket and lie on the floor.
If
you are trapped by fire while evacuating on foot, select an area clear
of vegetation along a road, or lie in a road ditch, covering exposed skin
with a jacket or blanket. Avoid canyons that can concentrate and channel
fire.
Outside Your Home:
Move
combustible yard furniture away from the house or store in the garage;
if it catches fire while outside, the added heat could ignite your house.
Cover
windows, attic openings, eave vents and sub-floor vents with fire resistive
material such as ˝ inch or thicker plywood. This will eliminate the possibility
of sparks blowing into hidden areas within the house. Close window shutters
if they are fire resistive.
Attach
garden hoses to spigots and place them so they can reach any area of your
house. Fill trashcans and buckets with water and locate them where firefighters
can find them.
If
you have an emergency generator or portable gasoline-powered pump that
will supply water from a swimming pool, pond, well or tank, mark its location
and have it ready to operate.
Place
a ladder against the house on the side opposite the fire to help firefighters
get on your roof.
Place
a lawn sprinkler on flammable roofs, but don’t turn it on unless the fire
is an immediate threat. You do not want to reduce the supply of water
for the firefighters.
Close
all windows and doors to prevent sparks from blowing inside; close interior
doors to slow down fire spread from room to room.
Turn
on a light in each room of your house, on the porch and in the yard making
the house more visible in heavy smoke or darkness.
Fill
sinks, bathtubs and buckets with water. Shut off LPG or natural gas valves.
Move
furniture away from windows and sliding glass doors to keep it from igniting
from the heat of fire radiating through windows.
Remove
your curtains and drapes. If you have metal blinds or special fire resistive
window coverings close them to block heat radiation.
If
You Stay In Your House When A Fire Approaches:
Stay
inside your house, away from outside walls. Close all doors, but leave
them unlocked.
Keep
your entire family together and remain calm. REMEMBER: If it gets hot
in the house, it is many times hotter and more dangerous outside.
After
The Fire Passes:
Check
the roof immediately, extinguishing all sparks and embers. If you must
climb onto the roof, use caution, especially if it is wet.
Check
inside the attic for hidden burning embers. Check your yard for burning
woodpiles, trees, fence posts or other materials.
Keep
the doors and windows closed.
Continue
rechecking your home and yard for burning embers for at least 12 hours.
Your
Emergency Water Supply:
If
you live in a house that is separated from others you may not have access
to an adequate community water system. In this case, you will need to
develop an individual well or water source that provides suitable storage
and fire equipment access.
A
minimum water storage supply of 2,500 gallons is recommended for use in
emergency situations; roughly equal to the average above ground pool,
10 feet in diameter. Storage facilities may include above or below ground
tanks, swimming pools, perennial streams or ponds.
Cooperation
with your neighbors can result in the development of a common emergency
water storage facility that can provide protection for your house and
several others.
Access
To Emergency Water Supply:
Once
you have established an emergency water supply, you must make sure firefighters
can get to it. If your water comes from a well, it is recommended that
you have a gasoline-powered generator so firefighters can operate your
pump during a power failure.