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
0
