VHEMBE DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY BASIC FIRE FIGHTING BACKGROUND FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS THREE SECTIONS WHICH IS FIRE SAFETY-RESPONSIBLE FOR BUILDING SAFETY MEASURES FIRE AND RESCUE –RESPONSIBLE FOR FIGHTING FIRES AND VEHICLE ACCIDENTS TRAINING –RESPONSIBLE FOR TRAINING PERSONNEL AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC WE HAVE SIX STATIONS AND THEY ARE IN DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES RAMUSHWANA ,MUTALE ,MAKHADO,XIGALO,VUWANI AND OBED MASHABA FIRE STATIONS LEARNING OBJECTIVES AFTER COMPLETION, COURSE PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ABLE TO Define fire Know the origin, means of spread and extinguishing of fire Identify and use of water supplies Know different fire extinguishers Fire prevention Methods of reporting emergency situation WHAT IS FIRE Fire is a chemical reaction in which heat and light are evolved Fire is a combination of three things which is FUEL,OXYGEN AND HEAT They form a triangle OXYGEN-Surrounding Air and chemical that have the ability to liberate their own oxygen FUEL- Combustible materials like wood , papers, petrol, grass plantation HEAT-Friction between two surfaces , self ignition ,direct heat etc. CLASSES OF FIRE We have different classes of fire CLASS A- Fires involve ordinary combustible materials such as wood ,cloth ,paper ,and many plastics Water is used to extinguish this type of fire CLASS B-Fires involve flammable and combustible liquids such as paraffin , gasoline, oil, paint, paint etc. CLASS C- Fires involved energized electrical equipment This include household appliances ,computers ,transformers as well as overhead transmission CLASS D- Fires involve combustible metals such as magnesium, aluminium These materials are hazardous and they are in powder form CLASS K-Fires involve cooking oils and fats (kitchen fires) PHASES/STAGES OF FIRE INCIPIENT ,FREE BURNING AND SMOTHERING PHASE INCIPIENT PHASE- Is the earliest stage of fire which begins with the actual ignitions The stage in which I as an individual can extinguish the fire FREE BURNING PHASE- In this phase ,the fire has accumulated enough sufficient oxygen and fuel for fire to grow SMOTHERING PHASE- In this phase burning is reduced to glowing embers ,there is no visible smoke In other case you find that when we arrive the house is already burnt down but there is a possibility that the fire can spread to the surrounding building ,we will be forced to leave your house and protect the next door METHODS OF EXTINGUISHING FIRES SINCE THE ARE THREE FACTORS WHICH ARE NECESSARY TO START A FIRE ,THE ARE ALSO THREE WAYS WHICH ARE USED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE STARVATION-Limitation of Fuel By removing combustible materials from the neighbourhood of the fire By removing the fire from the neighbourhood of the combustible materials SMOTHERING –Limitation of Oxygen If the oxygen content of the atmosphere in the immediate neighbourhood of burning materials can be sufficiently reduced combustion will be reduced COOLING – Limitation of temperature Water is used in a cooling or quenching effect to reduce the temperature FIRE EXTINGUISHERS Portable fire extinguishers are some of the most common fire protection appliances They can be found in fixed facilities such as residents retail stores and businesses They are intended to be used on small firesin the incipient stage It is important to learn how to operate a fire extinguisher TYPES OF PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHER Dry CHEMICAL POWDER- most commonly used fire extinguisher and suitable for class A,B,C CO2-suitable for class B and C AQUEOUS FILM FILLING FOAM EXTINGUISHERS-suitable for class B Fire Extinguishers must be serviced annually COMPONETS OF A FIRE EXTINGUISHER Container Pressure gauge Handle Triger Nozzle Safety pin CAUSES OF FIRE PEOPLE ELECTRICITY SPONTANEOUS IGNITION CHEMICAL REACTION LIQUEFIED PETROLIUM GAS HOW DO PEOPLE CAUSE FIRE Smoking in bed Heating polish on stove Children playing with fire Pouring petrol or paraffin onto a fire as a starter Allowing combustibles to accumulate Spotting with benzene Arson Ignorance HOW ELECTRICITY CAUSES FIRE Overloading of electrical circuits Leaving electrical appliances on Using faulty electrical appliances Running electrical cords under carpets Heaters placed against or next to combustibles Using electrical cords not suited for the voltage supplied FIRE CAUSED BY LIQUEFIED PETROLIUM GAS(LPG) Storing large quantities of gas at home Placing cylinders on the stove Using appliances not designated for a particular cylinder Smoking or working near naked lights when replacing empty cylinder Faulty equipment's IN CASE OF FIRE(HERE’S WHAT TO DO) Crawl low in smoke Never open doors Wake everyone in the house If your clothe catches fire (STOP……DROP…….AND ROLL) Have safe place to meet outside the house Don’t re-enter the house to recover personal belongings Only tackle the fire if it is safe to do so Phone the Fire Brigade for help if necessary METHOD OF REPORTING AN EMERGENCY Dial 112 from your cell phone or 10177 from Telkom line Ask for the nearest emergency service station Give the following details : -where the fire is -street address -nearest cross street -what is burning -your number or telephone where you are calling from LOCAL TELEPHONE NO. RAMUSHWANA FIRE STATION : 015 960 2260 MUTALE FIRE STATION : 015 960 2240 XIGALO FIRE STATION : 015 960 2250 VUWANI FIRE STATION : 015 960 2270 MAKHADO FIRE STATION : 015 960 2290 OBED MASHABA FIRE STATION : 015 960 2230
