Peter Pays Paul

The second CERT training class was on Wednesday. This time my lovely wife attended with me. The classes are held at the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Training Center on Treat Boulevard in Concord, CA.

This week we studied the fire safety. We had the opportunity to extinguish a small fire in a fire pan with the oversight of trained professionals. For some students it was the first time they had discharged a fire extinguisher. For all of us students it was good practice.

Some interesting fire extinguisher facts:

• A 5 pound fire extinguisher will only last about 20 seconds.
• Only try to extinguish a fire that is smaller than you are.
• Extinguishers do lose their effectiveness over time. The powder within the chamber settles and does not disperse when needed. This can be avoided by gently inverting the extinguisher every 6 months.
• It is wise to have two (2) extinguishers in your home in case of emergency.

We watched two demonstration videos displaying the speed that a fire can start and consume a room. The first video showed the speed that a dry Christmas tree could ignite an entire room. In less than 5 seconds the entire tree is engulfed in flames. In just 40 seconds the entire room is filled with smoke and flames. The bottom line is to keep live trees watered on a regular basis.

The second video shows the speed that a sofa in a living room can ignite the whole living room. After only 4 minutes the entire living room is filled with smoke and flames. It is amazing how fast a fire can spread.

These videos should instill in all of us the need for smoke detectors. The Santa Clara County Fire Department recommends, at minimum, placing one smoke detector in each bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of your home. For best protection a smoke detector should be placed in each living area, save the kitchen or bathroom.

You should also change the batteries in your smoke detector every six months. An easy system to remember to change the batteries is to change them at the same time the clock for Daylight Saving Time is changed.

Proper safety equipment can be an added selling point for your home. A $10 investment can help sell your home and can save your life or the life of someone you love.

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