Fire Prevention Essays

Fire Prevention Essays Fire Prevention Essay Fire Prevention Essay Essay Topic: To Build a Fire Fire Prevention Name Institution Date : Fire Prevention For purposes of this study, I chose to analyze the article ‘Fire Safety Handbook for Apartment Managers’ by the Seattle Fire Dept. This article attempts to outline fire safety and prevention measures regarding fire tragedies that occur in apartments and residential settings. According to the article, Fires in residential buildings are most prevalent because the dense nature of these buildings that allow heat, smoke, and fire. Fire is common accident and in most cases cannot be anticipated. In case this tragedy strikes, response should involve fast action and quick decisions (Seattle Fire Department, 2010). Being prepared in such cases can save lives and property. For purposes of preventing fires, the Seattle and Washington state laws designed regulations for fire safety on multi-residential housing. This publication was established to endow property managers with the necessary knowledge regarding fire tragedies and their prevention. The publication by the Seattle and Washington state provides information about fire safety and prevention for staff and tenants. The publication also highlights recommendations for the development of procedures in case of a fire emergency. In a year, the fire department in Seattle responds to about 150 fire emergencies that occur in multi-residential houses. The article endeavored to investigate the reports in most of these fires, establish the common causes of these fires, and design relevant prevention measures. Upon analyzing this article, I was able to establish that it is in agreement with the material I study in my course. According to my study course, I am able to understand that cooking accidents are the main cause of fires in the United States. According to the article, Seattle in particular registers more fires resulting from cooking than any other cause. More than a third of fire accidents in multi-residential buildings are caused by cooking errors. In this case, most of the fires resulted from unattended food in the kitchen. Prevention of these fires should then involve more responsibility when cooking and proper maintenance of cooking apparatus (Seattle Fire Department, 2010). Additionally, the article outlined heating apparatus as the second factor that causes most fire accidents in America. The winter months in particular record the most usage of heating devices. While the use of these devices is imminent, the article stresses due care when using them and ensuring that they are safe to use. Additionally, the article report also outlined smoking as another major cause for fires. These fires as mostly caused by leaving cigarette unattended or near chairs and sofas (Slater and Smith, 2009). However, other than highlighting responsibility as a factor for preventing fires caused by cigarettes and heating devices, I think that the article should have included smoke alarms as a means preventing these fires. These devices would help detect fires in their early stage and hence stop them before they spread. Conclusively, fires occurring in residential buildings are the most common in the United States registering a remarkable 52 percent. The article by the Seattle Fire Department endeavors to investigate residential building fires, and in particular, those in Seattle. My thoughts on this article and its relation to my course study maintain that the most effective way preventing fires involves identifying and removing fire hazards. Some of these preventive measures involve exercising more responsibility when performing household activities such as cooking and using heating devices. Ultimately, I was able to establish that the article complements my course study apart from majoring only in household fires. References Seattle Fire Department. (2010). Fire Safety Handbook for Apartment Managers. Seattle: Scholastic Press. Slater, T., Smith, J. (2009). Fire prevention. New York, NY: Scholastic.