If you did some digging online, you’ve probably learned that a fire blanket is a special material that is resistant to fires and warmth, and more importantly, it doesn’t enable oxygen to go through its knitted fabric. The mixture of these two features implies that this sheet is capable of putting out smaller blazes.
How is that possible? Well, since it doesn’t allow oxygen to enter the material – which is something that actually feeds the blaze – even people that are completely inexperienced in using these sheets could use them to put out sparks. However, in order to do so, you must learn how and when to utilize it.
This is why you might be wondering – in which situations should this blanket be used for and what are the different ways to utilize them? Luckily for all people that want to learn this, the article below will help you by shedding some light on the entire topic. So, let’s take a look at what you have to know:
Situation 01: For Putting Out a Smaller Fire
Source:flooringtech.org
If you’re in a situation where a smaller blaze started, you could use this specialized cover for putting it out. However, there are some things that you must ensure that you do. Generally speaking, these blankets come in smaller containers or bags and there are usually two white tabs hanging from them. To get to the fabric, you need to drag the tabs that’ll free the sheet.
By doing this, you’ll be capable of quickly accessing the fabric if there is an urgent situation. Before you head to the source of the blaze, you must ensure that you shield your hands, after all, you don’t want them to get caught in the blazes. You could utilize the ends of the coating for shielding your hands, or if possible, put on sturdy and resistant gloves.
Once you made your hands safe and got to the cover, you should put it over the fire. Now, you must remember, don’t simply throw it on top, instead, gently put it over it and pat it down lightly. You should begin with the nearest sparks and slowly move in. If you throw it, it may cause the flames to come out of the sides, which will only make everything worse.
Depending on what started burning, you should ensure that you switch off the energy source, which you would do if the cause is your stove burner. No matter where it began – your furnace, heater, or other appliance – you must shut it off as soon as you lay the fabric over it since this is something that’ll lower the time needed to put it out.
If you notice smoke coming through the sheet, don’t worry, this needs to happen and it’s entirely normal, meaning that if there are not signs that the actual fabric started burning, you won’t have to worry. You should leave it for at least 20 minutes over the heat origin, mostly because it’ll ensure that the flames are completely out. Don’t try to move the sheet until it’s cooled down.
Lastly, according to the experts ADL Insulflex Inc., an organization that specializes in selling fire-resistant covers, you must call the fire department. Why? Well, for starters you should definitely do it if you’re unable to put the sparks out, but you might also want to know the origin of the blaze, which is something the department could help you with.
Situation 02: Putting Out Inflamed Clothes
Unfortunately, it’s extremely easy for someone’s clothes to catch fire, and if you ever find yourself in this situation, you must ensure that you wrap yourself or another individual in a heat-resistant sheet. Again, you’ll have to pull on the white tabs to release the fabric, and don’t forget to secure your hands with the fabric or with heat-resistant gloves.
When you get to the blanket, you should roll the individual in it until they’re completely covered. However, the process doesn’t stop there. Instead, tell the person to stop, drop to the ground, and roll around. This is a general security strategy utilized for putting out different flames. They need to roll until the fire completely smothers.
When you’re sure that the flames are out, wait for 10 to 15 minutes for the fabric to cool down, and once it does, take it off the individual. Check whether or not there are any burns, and if so, you must call 911 as soon as you can. Now, even if the wounds look insignificant, you must ensure that you seek medical help.
After all, every single burn, no matter how small or big, must be evaluated and a medical professional, mostly because they’ll be able to treat the wounds, but more importantly, if the fabric got inside the skin, they’ll know exactly what they must do in order to get it out without causing further damage.
Source:homesfan.com
A Few Useful Tips
Before we conclude this article, there are a few things worth mentioning, all of which will help you utilize this material properly. For starters, if you’re a restaurant owner, you must ensure that you have this fire-resistant fabric in your kitchen. Besides ensuring that you purchase it, you must also ensure several other things.
You must determine which is a suitable location for the blanket, and keep in mind, it needs to be somewhere where your employees can easily and quickly access it. After all, the sooner someone could get to it, the better odds of putting out the flames, and you’ll also decrease further damage.
Additionally, you have to remember that they cannot be reused, which means that you should throw them away when you utilize them. It could be extremely dangerous for you to reuse it, mostly because it’ll already be weakened by the previous blaze, instead, you should ensure that you purchase another one. In fact, you should always have two of them in your kitchen, especially since there is no way of telling what could happen.
Source:torvacsolutions.com.au
Conclusion
Whether you’re a restaurant owner that wants to keep its employees safe or if you’re just someone who wants to ensure that they can put out a fire in their home quickly, you must remember how and when you should utilize a fire blanket. You must remember if you utilize it once, you have to throw it away and replace it.
So, now that you have learned when and how you could use this heat-resistant material, you really shouldn’t lose any more of your time. Instead, you should start browsing the Internet in order to find an organization that’ll provide you with a fire blanket that’ll protect you, as well as other people.
