Summary
Fire prevention is a safety and of the hazards associated with fires”. The prevention entails the knowledge of fire behavior, suppression, compartmentalization and investigation and its mergence not forgetting the research, development, production, testing and application of mitigating systems. The writer further says”. The owners of the buildings should maintain them according to certain builder’s instructions that are in form of laws.
All buildings show be constructed as per the instructions given by building engineers and the constructors must obtain a recommendation from the construction engineers. This calls for inspection of the whole building before it is considered ready for shelter or business. The constructors must ensure that these buildings are properly maintained the necessary equipment for fire fighting is available and ready for use. Most preferable, the alarm system should be installed in every floor of the building to alert the fire fighters incase of an emergency of fire
Fire prevention measures
In his article about fire prevention measures, Gary Taylor says, “as the primary importance of any fire protection measure is to provide an acceptable degree of life safety to inhabitants of a structure, in most countries legal requirements applying to fire protection are based on life safety concerns” These features he is talking about should allow the owners of the buildings from physical damage. However, the owner has the right to use all means to ensure safety of his building and the properties. Therefore he has an obligation to take any necessary and affordable measures that will help him prevent the damages caused by fire.
Technology growth has become a good solution to the so many problems faced by the owners of these buildings. After the buildings have been constructed according to the defined guidelines, the owners are advised to put use the current technology to help prevent fire damages. This is by using fire detection and alarm system which serves a great purpose in automatically detecting and giving warnings to the occupants in the building that there is threat of fire. With this alarm the occupants are required to vacate from the building as soonest as possible to prevent loss of lives and possibly property.
Gary continues to give us information about basic elements of fire detection and alarm system. According to him, these may include: a system control unit ,a primary or main electrical power supply, a secondary (stand-by) power supply, usually supplied from batteries or an emergency generator , alarm-initiating devices such as automatic fire detectors, manual pull stations and/or sprinkler system flow devices, connected to “initiating circuits” of the system control unit, alarm-indicating devices, such as bells or lights, connected to “indicating circuits” of the system control unit , ancillary controls such as ventilation shut-down functions, connected to output circuits of the system control unit, remote alarm indication to an external response location, such as the fire department and control circuits to activate a fire protection system or smoke control system.
Electricity has been a major cause of fires in buildings. It matters a lot how power lines run across and along buildings. This is where the city planners are expected t work effectively to ensure that the Power and Lighting Company’s building their posts and pas the power lines safely. They must ensure that power cables are properly shielded and no naked wire is left. Wiring within the building show as well is safe. The engineers should check to see that power cables are passed along safe areas within the building. Power is normally accompanied by problems like overload and many other un expected faults which cause a great risk to building owners and its occupants. Safety measures should be taken to prevent these risks caused by power over voltage and the occupants should be trained on how to use power. It is advisable for occupants to used extensions cords carefully and avoids overloading. They should also report any issues they discover like cracks on cables, naked wires and any other anomaly that might appear to the relevant personnel to preventing the damages and risks.
Gary also discusses the smoke control systems. Here he talks about, “reducing the threat of smoke from entering exit paths during evacuation from a structure, smoke control systems can be used”. In regard to his argument, it is necessary to have fresh air along the exit ways and mechanical systems and mechanical ventilation systems are being used to supply fresh air along the exit. All these are methods that help in preventing loss of lives incase of fire.
Above I have discussed about preventing damages caused by fire especially loss of lives. But incase of emergence of fire, equipments that will help in putting out fire must be ready for use to prevent more damages and loss of property. High pressure water can be helpful when fighting fire. This means adequate water should be stored with automatic sprinkler system for incase of emergence of fire.
Incase the water system of fighting fire doesn’t not offer efficiency; other means of fighting fire should be employed to avoid loss of property and lives. However, these means can as well work together with water system to help put off fire quicker and this normally happens in many places. Fire fighters should be ready with all the fire extinguisher systems and arrive at the area where there is fire in time to help prevent loss of properties and safe lives
Gary says that, “Water spray systems increase the effectiveness of water by producing smaller water droplets, and thus a greater surface area of water is exposed to the fire, with a relative increase in heat absorption capability”. Water spray will also help put out the fire and less amount of water is used. Water is stored in very large pressure vessels that stores large amount of pressure with all heads open. Then pipes with sprayers are connected to the large vessels which are used incase there is an emergence of fire. A good number sprayers and pipes can be connected to a single vessel therefore economizing on the amount of water used and the making use of the large amount of pressure in these vessels.
Another way of fighting power is by use of Carbon Dioxide. This gas is known not to support burning and therefore it can be very much useful when fighting fire. It is stored in containers He again says that, “Carbon dioxide systems consist of a supply of carbon dioxide, stored as liquefied compressed gas in pressure vessels. Gas sprayers are used in this case where Carbon dioxide in liquid form is meant to overcome the volume level of oxygen and fire’s conducive environment for burning is reduced. When fire lacks oxygen, it will definitely go off. Carbon dioxide is useful especially incase of fire that is normally caused in kitchens.
Gary finally wrote, “Halons 1301, 1211 and 2402 have been identified as ozone-depleting substances”. The use of gases to put out fire on the other hand becomes dangerous as it interferes with the Ozone Layer. Halons have been useful in fire fighting fire and were largely used in place of Carbon Dioxide. But the need for preventing the Ozone Layer, the use was banned by the Montreal Protocol, which was an international agreement. The cause of its major use was its lower pressure level and required a very small concentration. Storage was however the same as Carbon Dioxide. It had a very high extinguishing capability. The use therefore increased as it was a great alternative. But finally it was discovered that Halons contributed highly in destruction of the Ozone Layer.
Conclusion
Fire has caused and can cause damages ranging from mare lose of building as an asset to so many other properties. Therefore there is need to create awareness and training the building inspectors the various ways of preventing fire and how to deal with an occurrence of fire.
Reference
Fire protection. Wikipedia. Web.
Ch. 41 Fire. In Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety / edited by Janne Mager Stellman. 4th ed. Geneva : International Labour Office, 1998. Vol. 2, pt. VI. Web.