Abstract
This analytical essay presents a critique of the article “Fire Hazards Do Not Take Holidays” and has been published by USA Today. The bibliography page appends five sources in APA format.
Introduction
Nobody knows when a fire would go ablaze. It is something that is least expected by all of us, yet it takes place at hundreds of places every single day, because of which hundreds and thousands of lives are affected. It is necessary for all of us for the sake of our own lives along with our families, neighborhoods to carry out all the prevention methods we can think of in order to ignore ablaze fires.
The article that has been taken under consideration goes by the name of “Fire hazards do not take holidays”. This article starts off by putting forward the basic summary and an introduction to what the article is all about. As can be gathered it is related to fire hazards that go off during summer camping trips taken by people. As the article says, “This summer, nearly 50,000,000 people eagerly will leave the cares of the office and home behind as they pack cars, trailers, and backpacks to go camping. If you are one of those pursuing fun in the great outdoors, remember that you cannot take a vacation from safety” (Fire hazards do not take holidays, 2005).
The above quote shows that all of us leaving the cares of our homes and offices, thinking we would only have fun; are not safe. Nothing is much better than being able to go back to nature by simply going camping. When planning your next camping trip you need to be careful about certain things so that you can be more stress-free, and at ease, having the mindset that whatever you are doing is being done the way it should be. Camping is just not complete without having a campfire. But no matter for what reason you are building it, be it cooking, warmness, or just to create the perfect camping environment you need to make sure of certain things first all of which have been listed in this article.
The risk of having an ablaze fire increases at camping sites, but there are precautionary methods that we can all take up so as to ignore them.
Analysis
The article that has been taken under consideration basically tells us of all precautions that can be taken up by all campers before leaving for their trip as well as after reaching there. It tells us that precautions such as examining and testing cooking, heating, as well as all other fire-related gear should be checked at home before leaving for the camping grounds and one should ensure that they are in good shape and fix up all the repairs that are needed, following the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
Secondly, the author further states that after reaching the camping site, the most dangerous activity is cooking! The author states that a vast majority of fires take place because cooking areas remain unattended by people at times. There are definitely a vast number of interruptions along with numerous other things that can be done during the trip, but after the time that you have started off your fire, you need to make sure that you stay around it no matter what happens (Seasonal Safety, 2007). Take steps to keep your children and pets away from the fire. No matter if they are simply cuddling up by the heat of the fire, sweltering marshmallows, or simply playing and entertaining them, you need to ascertain that they are constantly under supervision so as to put off any misfortune.
The author states that “Despite the allure of Mother Nature, do not abandon the outdoor cooking area, either. Moreover, the same considerations of grill safety used at home apply at the campground: Keep the fire, stove, or grill away from overhanging tree branches, tents, and other items such as sleeping gear or drying clothing” (Fire hazards do not take holidays, 2005).
The third point moved ahead by the author of the article is that another threat presented to the campers at camping sites is the hazardous gas carbon monoxide. The author has states statistics telling the readers that every single year about three hundred deaths and four hundred and fifty injuries take place because of carbon monoxide poisoning. These deaths and injuries are caused by mobile heaters, lanterns, as well as stoves that are placed inside tents, vehicles along with other areas that are confined and for safety precautions, the author states that stoves, candles, etc. should in all circumstances be kept outside the tent or enclosed areas. The use of flashlights and battery-powered lights is preferred.
I have chosen this article because of the fact that it presents in-depth information about fire blazes how they are caused as well as how they can be ignored. The article is brief and to the point which makes it even more readable, providing me with yet another reason to choose this article for my essay.
It is said that “In 2002, more than 74,000 wildfires burned more than 7.4 million acres in the United States, costing the U.S. Government an all-time high of more than 1.5 billion dollars to fight, control, and extinguish these forest fires. As our population grows and we encroach more and more into undeveloped areas, much of our wildlands, state and national parks are immediately adjacent to these suburban areas, putting homes at very high risk” (Prevent forest fires while camping, 2004). With these statistics in mind, it is our responsibility to make sure that we take every single precautionary step that has been mentioned by the author.
Basically in normal circumstances, all that is needed is one single bad story about a fire that went off at a camping site in order to remind us just how important it is to develop and sustain a well-developed fire safety and precaution program for every single campsite. The property that is present at and is surrounding the campsites is very risky considering that the buildings surrounding such areas are rather old, made up of frame construction which is supposed to be used only seasonally that too in areas that are rather far-flung. This is perhaps the biggest reason that when a fire goes ablaze in a campsite it ends up in complete destruction for the entire area, which makes it even more important for us to make sure that we take every single step to ensure our and others safety (Schirick, 1998).
The article is related to our course in certain manners as it tells us of basic precautions that we can take to avoid fire outbursts. Though the information provided is extremely basic, it is still rather helpful. The same information has been taught to us in our course and this article was yet another method to understand our course in a much better manner.
The most important thing to do at any camping site is to take care of all outdoor fires. Make sure that every single fire and coal is burnt out and cold before you leave your camp or go to bed at night inside your tent. In order to put out campfires, you can start off by letting the fire burn down on its own at first. The second step is to make sure that each and every member, coal, and stick is soaked. Make sure that all rocks near your tent are moved away because of the fact that there might be pieces of burning embers present under it. What you have to do next is muddle up and swirl the leftovers with grime and water; adding more and more water and dirt to it while stirring it at the same time.
What is more, is that you need to “be sure all burned material has been extinguished and cooled. If you do not have water, use dirt. Mix enough soil or sand with the embers. Continue adding and stirring until all material is cool. Feel all materials with your bare hand. Make sure that no roots are burning. Do not bury your coals—they can smolder and break out into a wildfire!” (Outdoor Fire Safety, 2004).
All of the information that has been presented in the article can be used in further fire prevention techniques. Unique and innovative techniques and methods can be introduced while bearing these basic methods in mind. The article constantly emphasizes that safety and prevention are extremely necessary in order to have a safe and happy camping trip, which would be safe not only for us but for our families and the people camping near us at the same campsite. The information is very basic but it can be used to come up with further ways and methods to put off fires.
What is more, is that in the current times this information is being used by hundreds and thousands of people so as to ensure that their camping trips are safe and this information is also being used by people so as know the to do’s and not to do’s during their camping trips. The information is very basic and easily understandable by any layman, hence giving the article much admiration and credit.
Conclusion
In the light of the above discussion, we can hereby culminate that the article that has been taken under consideration for review provides some rather basic information about campfires and the ways that we can take up so as to make our camping trips more fun and safe at the same time.
Bibliography
Fire Hazards Do Not Take Holidays. (2005). USA Today. Pp.1.
Outdoor Fire Safety. (2004). Web.
Prevent forest fires while camping. (2004). Web.
Schirick, Ed. (1998). Fire Prevention and Safety At Camp. Camping Magazine. Pp.1.
Seasonal Safety. (2007). Web.