How to prevent fire from starting or spreading

It’s important to be prepared in case of a fire unexpectedly breaks out. We need to do everything we can to reduce the risk of a fire starting. 

To prevent fires from starting or spreading, you should:

• not leave open fires unattended and should use sand to kill the fire,
• make sure that your home has no illegal electrical connections
• make sure that multi plugs aren’t overloaded, as these can overheat causing sparks and fires,
• keep the area around your home clear of materials that can start a fire,
• tell someone who’s playing carelessly with fires, matches or lighters to stop, and 
• know your emergency numbers to report veld fires in your area immediately i.e. 999.

Fires inside your home

• Warn people inside the house to get out safely.
• Help people to get out and stay out of harm’s way.
• If there’s a lot of smoke, crawl out below the smoke to escape the fire.
• Where possible, have more than 1 exit from your house, with clear routes to the door.

Should your clothes catch fire

make sure you know the Stop, Drop and Roll method to prevent the fire from spreading to the rest of your body. You’ll need to:

• immediately stop what you’re doing if your clothing catches on fire,
• drop to your knees and lie on your stomach,
• close your eyes and cover your face with your hands to protect yourself from the flames and from inhaling the smoke,
• roll onto your back and to your front repeatedly until the fire is out, and
• remove all your burnt clothing and check to see that it’s not still burning.

How to put out a fire without water

A fire needs heat, oxygen and fuel to survive. Without 1 of these elements, the fire will die. 

If you don’t have access to water or a fire extinguisher to put out a fire, you can use other methods such as sand or a wet blanket. If the fire occurs on your kitchen stove, try to smother the fire by placing a lid on top. 

Never use water to kill an electrical fire. It’s also handy to keep a bucket of clean sand ready outside your kitchen door, or if possible, a small fire extinguisher. 

fire safety rules

• Keep a well-maintained fire extinguisher in your house and know how to use it.
• If you have no extinguisher, keep an empty bucket for water or a bucket of sand if possible.
• If you have a garden hose, keep it rolled up and ready for use in case of a fire.
• Where possible, have more than one exit from your house.
• Have an escape plan, and make sure that your whole family knows the plan.
• Don’t park in the way of a fire hydrant (and remind your neighbours and visitors to do the same).
• Keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach.
• Cut candles in half to prevent them from falling and use a candle holder.
• Never leave an open fire – for example around a braai – unattended.
• Don’t let open fires, such as a braai – get too big and out of control.
• Monitor weather conditions. If the wind is strong, rather put the fire out till the wind dies down.

Outdoor fire safety tips

• Open fires are a common cause of uncontrolled fires. It’s a good idea not to start a fire when it’s hot, dry and especially not when it’s windy. 
• Check with authorities before making fires outside.

Campfire safety tips: 

• Only use designated fire places and facilities in parks and recreation sites – they’re designed to contain your fire in a controlled space.
• Children must never be allowed to make a fire without adult supervision.
• Never leave a burning or smouldering fire unattended.
• Never use candles, matches or gas stoves in a tent; it can burn within minutes trapping its occupants inside.
• Place your tent upwind and well away from a fire.
• Have a large container of water and a spade handy.
• When leaving the site or going to sleep, soak the fire with water and stir sand into the ashes or coals until every spark is out. Be careful of the hot steam and splashes when the water comes into contact with the coals.