Global Wildfire

Fire Prevention Tips for Fall

Global Wildfire — Mon, 19 Sep 2022 19:14:25 +0000

During the fall and winter, fire hazards in our homes and businesses arise primarily from heating the space! According to the American Red Cross, there is a drastic increase in house fires during this time.

We’ve prepared a list of safety tips and prevention techniques to help you stay safe during the upcoming months.

Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and locate fire extinguishers. This tip applies to your home and workplace! It’s important to know where the fire extinguishers are in an emergency.
Develop a fire safety and evacuation plan. Feel free to check out our blog on how to build a go-bag and prepare for unforeseen emergencies at https://globalwildfireequipment.us/how-to-build-a-go-bag/
Talk with your safety team or committee at work. Everyone in your workplace must be trained on what to do in case of a fire, how to evacuate, where to meet, and what the post-fire recovery plan is.
CHECK YOUR HEATING SYSTEM! Furnaces are one of the leading causes of home fires during the colder months.
- Make sure you replace your furnace filters regularly
- Keep all areas around your furnace clean and unobstructed
- Keep the burner area clean and clear of dust, dirt, lint, and other debris.
- Keep all combustible items at least six inches away from the vent pipe.
- Never close off more than 20% of your heat registers!
- Contact a professional immediately if you’re experiencing any issues with your furnace.
- We advise you to have your central heating system cleaned and serviced by a certified HVAC contractor annually.
Keep your fireplace clear of ash and debris, and have it inspected annually.
- Use a fireplace screen, guard, or glass doors to keep hot ash and sparks contained
- Store extra wood and combustible materials five feet away from your fireplace.
- Never leave a fire unattended!
- Burn seasoned hardwoods, such as oak, that have been split and stored in a safe and dry environment for at least six months.
- Keep fires small, don’t overload your fireplace!
- When building a fire, strategically place logs on a metal grate at the back end of your fireplace.

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How Dangerous is Wildfire Smoke?

Global Wildfire — Thu, 28 Jul 2022 17:01:02 +0000

Over the last few years, various states, cities, counties, and municipalities have issued warnings about the health risks of wildfire smoke during wildfire season. We know that air pollution is harmful to inhale, but how does wildfire smoke differ from more common pollutants, and what makes it so dangerous?

We know that wildfire smoke makes up nearly half the air pollution measured annually in the western United States. In a study from the California Air Resources Board, released July 12, 2022, researchers found that smoke from wildfires that burn through communities can be more toxic than initially thought due to the building materials that can burn. These same researchers found high levels of lead and other metals in smoke from the fire that burned through Paradise, California, in 2018.

In an announcement from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), there have been over 25,000 wildfires that have burned 1.4 million acres as of May 2022. This surpasses the 10-year annual average for the number of fires by over 6,000 fires. Climate change, heat, drought, and severe storms are the forerunners of making wildfire conditions worse.

What is wildfire smoke?

With all these fires, it’s important to know what exactly is in wildfire smoke and how it can differ from fire to fire. Three main factors determine what’s in wildfire smoke: what’s burning, the temperature of the fire, and the distance between the person inhaling the smoke and the fire producing it.

As you get further away from the source of a wildfire, the distance allows traveling smoke to age. This means that the sun and other chemicals in the air can make the smoke more toxic. Large particles and pollutants like ash don’t typically travel that far away from the fire, but smaller particles and contaminants can travel long distances and even across continents.

Wildfire smoke contains countless individual compounds, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds. After the Paradise fire in 2018, researchers found dangerous levels of lead in smoke blowing downwind from the fire. These particles traveled more than 150 miles on the wind alone! The most common pollutants by mass are particulates less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, about 50 times smaller than a grain of sand. When public health authorities issue air quality warnings, they use PM2.5 as the benchmark metric.

So, what does wildfire smoke do to our bodies?

The PM2.5 metric mentioned above serves an essential purpose; it defines the cutoff for particles and pollutants that can travel deep into our lungs and cause the most damage. Any particles bigger than PM2.5 is met with our natural defense systems, meaning our bodies will naturally defend us against these particles. The smaller particles bypass our bodies’ defenses and disturb our lungs’ air sacs, where oxygen crosses into our blood. Thankfully, we have immune cells present called macrophages. These cells seek out foreign materials and remove or destroy them. However, wildfire and wood smoke exposure can suppress these cells and increase lung inflammation.

Long-term and repeated exposure to wildfire smoke can cause lung damage and may also lead to cardiovascular problems. Recent studies suggest that long-term exposure to these small particulates can make the coronavirus more deadly. A nationwide study found that a slight increase in PM2.5 from one U.S. County to the next was associated with a significant increase in the death rate from Covid-19.

What can you do to stay safe and protect your health during wildfires?

The best answer is to stay informed! Keep up with your local Department of Natural Resources, NOAA, and NIFC, and listen to public health officials’ announcements and warnings regarding wildfire smoke. If your area has an air quality warning, try to avoid being outside or doing strenuous activity. Note that not all face masks protect against smoke particles!

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Pet Fire Safety Tips

Global Wildfire — Fri, 24 Jun 2022 15:25:57 +0000

Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere, and in any imaginable way. That’s why having a plan and being prepared is so important! National Pet Fire Safety Day is July 15, so we want to share some essential tips regarding our favorite furry friends!

Pets are curious. Don’t leave open flames in their reach. Extinguish that candle before curiosity gets the cat! Consider replacing traditional candles with flameless counterparts!
Pets, especially large dogs, can accidentally bump into and turn on the stove. We advise removing or covering any stove knobs they can reach.
Replace glass water bowls with metal or plastic bowls. If glass bowls are left outside on wooden surfaces, the glass can heat up and start a fire!
Take note of where your pets like to nap or hide. If you need to evacuate quickly, it’s essential to know where they want to hang out. Pets can be harder to round up if they sense stress, so we recommend practicing things like crate training! If your pets see the crate or carrier as a positive experience, they’re less likely to run away from it in an emergency.
Practice escape routes with your pet! It’s critical to have an evacuation plan for all family members, including your pets. Practice getting them in a crate or carrier and out to a safe meeting place.
Prepare a go-bag for your pet. In a recent blog post, we talked about how to prepare a go-bag for yourself and your family. We recommend preparing one for your pets as well! Include collars with tags, leashes, food, water, collapsible bowls, medications, and a photo of your pet in case you get separated.
Make sure your pets are microchipped and have collars or tags with accurate contact information! We suggest including their name and your contact information. You should list your name, phone number, and address.
Have a sticker or window cling visible at the front of your home that identifies how many pets you have. In the event of an emergency, and you’re not home, this will help first responders know how many cats, dogs, birds, or lizards you have. Head to your local pet store, or you can order a safety pack from ASPCA that includes window and door stickers.

Fires, floods, and other natural disasters and emergencies can happen to anyone. It’s essential to be prepared for these events, especially for your pet’s sake! We hope you never have to evacuate and use some of these pet fire safety tips, but it’s always wise to be prepared.

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Three Easy Emergency Readiness Tips

Global Wildfire — Fri, 27 May 2022 00:25:14 +0000

Fire season is fast approaching. Planning now for an evacuation and having a game plan can save lives, time, and resources. There are so many things to keep in mind while preparing for an emergency, but we want to focus on some tips most people don’t consider right away. Here’s three basic tips to help you prepare for a natural disaster or emergency.

#1. Prepare for power outages

In the event of a natural disaster, public safety power shut offs are used to reduce the power system from becoming the source of ignition in high-risk areas. You may not know ahead of time if these proactive outages are coming, and for how long you’ll be without power. Typically, it can last anywhere from minutes to days, depending on whether and wind conditions in your area. We recommend putting together an emergency kit with flashlights, batteries, non-perishable foods, potable water or a way to filter water, a first aid kit, and any medications you or your family may need. We advise to getting a backup generator if possible. They can come in handy in the event you experience a power outage!

#2 Have your evacuation plan ready

This includes having a floor plan of your home and a designated meeting spot if possible. We recommend you draw out the floor plan of your home, using separate pages for each level of your home, and make sure everyone understands the drawings, including any children. Next, you’ll need to establish a meeting place in the event of an emergency. Make sure everyone in your home knows where this meeting spot is at, and how to get to it. Emergencies and natural disasters can happen anytime, anywhere. We recommend you have a backup plan for what to do should a disaster strike while you’re at work, or out and about. It’s a good idea to have all your bases covered!

#3 Have an emergency contact

In the event of an emergency or natural disaster, make sure everyone knows who the emergency contact is. This can be a family friend or relative. It’s important that everyone has their phone number saved, and preferably memorized. In the event of a natural disaster, it may be easier for this person to reach out to the rest of your family while you focus on getting to safety.

When an emergency or natural disaster strikes, you may not have time to prepare. Having these plans in place ahead of time can help ease the stress of the moment and give you and your family the ability to focus on staying safe. Keep up to date with us here, or follow us on social media for even more preparedness and prevention tips!

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How To: Build a Go-Bag

Global Wildfire — Wed, 25 May 2022 21:19:45 +0000

Much like when you take a vacation, you want to be prepared for everything! Some people pack extra underwear, some people bring backup battery packs for their phones. These same principles apply to being prepared for emergencies and natural disasters with building a go-bag.

What is a go-bag?

Simply put, a go-bag is something you can easily grab in the event of an emergency or natural disaster that has everything you need for a few days. Most people use a backpack, duffel bag, or something that’s easy to grab and carry when you’re in a hurry. We’d recommend you make sure whatever you choose is sturdy and preferably waterproof or watertight.

Why is a go-bag important?

Go-bags are important to have prepared ahead of time because when disaster strikes, every moment counts. If you need to evacuate your home due to a wildfire, you may not have time to pack and sort through everything. This allows you to grab the important things as quick as possible and get to safety.

What do you need to pack?

This is a broad question. It varies person to person, and family to family. Here are some basics we recommend including in your go-bag:

Clothing for a few days

You don’t need to bring half your wardrobe but prepare for the elements. Bring extra underwear and socks, a pair of pants or shorts, a shirt or two, and a jacket or hoodie. It’s a good idea to go through your go-bag once a season and include things you’d need for the weather. If it’s spring, you might want to grab a rain jacket, or if it’s winter you might want a heavier coat.

Non-Perishable food and water

If you have access to a car, we recommend you keep a case of bottled water in the trunk. This comes in handy in all seasons and all evacuation events. It’s important to stay hydrated! If you don’t have access to a car, throw a couple bottled waters in your pack, and a water filtration system like LifeStraw.

Bringing food that has a long shelf life and is easier to put in your pack is key. If you must evacuate your home, chances are you’re not going to be thinking about nutrition and your next meal in the moment. Things like high protein granola bars, soups, and other shelf stable items are great to carry!

First Aid and Medications

You should always have a first aid kit handy. You’ll never know when you need a band-aid, gauze, or antiseptic wipes. Your local grocery store should carry a few options. Amazon also offers a bunch of different kits to fit your different needs. We recommend you get a first aid kit with a little bit of everything.

If you take medications regularly, or a member of your family does, it’s essential to carry a few days’ supply of it, especially if you’re taking things like Insulin or need an EpiPen. If your medication needs to be cooled or refrigerated, these Frio pouches are a great alternative to carrying around a bulky cooler or ice packs. Having other basic medications like ibuprofen, heartburn relievers, and baby aspirin is also a good idea to carry.

Miscellaneous

There are a few other items that are good to keep on hand in case of an emergency or sudden evacuation.

Again, if you have access to a car, we recommend keeping a blanket or two in the trunk. Even those hot summer days can be chilly at night! If you need to evacuate in the winter, you’ll also want to keep some warm gloves or hand warmers in your car, trust us, you’ll be glad you did! In addition to other “for car” items, we recommend you have a road safety kit. This includes things like emergency flares, a tire pressure gage, spare tire and jack, jumper cables, and some sort of reflective items you can set up around your car if it becomes stuck or dies, such as cones.

Other items you might want to include in your go-bag are external battery packs, a phone charger, a flashlight, and batteries. It’s a good idea to keep a flashlight in your car too, and keep one on your person. You’ll likely grab your wallet on your way out the door, we recommend keeping some extra cash in your go-bag too. Smaller bills like $20’s are great.

This last one is totally optional, but pack some sort of entertainment! Uno cards or other playing cards are great to add for some entertainment at the end of the day. The best part is playing cards don’t take any power so you can conserve your resources in other areas!

Overall, being prepared is the best thing you can do when you must evacuate on a moments notice. You may get an alert from agencies like FEMA on when you need to evacuate, which can buy you some time. We hope these go-bag tips help you plan and prepare for emergencies and natural disasters! For more tips, tricks, and information be sure to follow us on social media.

Emergency Preparedness