How to Properly Use a Fire Blanket

If a fire were to break out in your home or office, would you be prepared?

You might have an escape route planned and the number to your local fire department taped to your refrigerator. However, knowing how to use the proper equipment to extinguish the flames can make a major difference in the event of an emergency.

One of the most important items to have on hand? A fire blanket.

Yet, while it can save your life and protect your property, this blanket is not helpful unless you know the right way to use it. That's why we're here.

Today, we're taking a close look at how fire blankets operate and how to use them. We'll also explore a few other first-aid products to store nearby in case of a fire situation.

Ready to learn more? Let's get started.

What is a Fire Blanket?

In short, a fire blanket is a single, solid piece of fire-resistant material designed to smother a flame in the event of a fire. Normally comprised of woven glass fibre, this blanket is easy to store and essential to keep on hand.

If a small fire occurs in your home or office, you can use a fire blanket to stop the flames from spreading. You can also wrap it around a person who's clothes are alight.

Before you invest in a fire blanket, you should make sure it's up to industry regulations. All blankets should be Australian Standards-approved, meeting all guidelines as listed in AS/NZS 3504:2006: Fire Blankets. To be effective, your blanket should also be at least one metre by one metre.

Where Should You Keep a Fire Blanket?

Due to its special properties and use, you shouldn't store your fire blanket with the rest of your cold-weather throws. This isn't a cozy item to snuggle up with on a winter day, so don't stash it in the upstairs family room. Rather, it should be stored in a key location where you can access it quickly and easily.

Most of the time, homeowners will store a fire blanket in their kitchen area, where small grease fires are most likely to occur. Likewise, business owners often store theirs in the common breakroom, near microwaves, stovetops and other appliances that could catch fire.

While these are great spots, make sure you don't store your fire blanket directly beside the stove.

Why?

If a fire does occur at or near your stovetop, the rising flames could prevent you from accessing your fire blanket, rendering it ineffective. Instead, keep your fire blanket near your kitchen doorway. This way, if the fire escalates out of control, you can still exit the room, seek safety, and call for help.

How Do You Use a Fire Blanket?

It's important to educate your entire family or workforce on the proper fire blanket use.

Two of the best times to use a fire blanket include:

• Cooking fat (grease) fires
• When clothing is ablaze

Now, let's take a look at the correct method to follow when it's time for fire blanket usage.

Step 1: Release the Blanket

Most fire blankets come tightly folded in a package for convenient wall storage. These packages will have two tabs hanging from the bottom of them. In the event of a fire, locate the blanket and pull down sharply on the tabs.

This will release the blanket.

Step 2: Hold the Blanket

Yes, there's a right and wrong way to hold a fire blanket.

Rather than letting it lie at your side or drag on the floor, hold it upright in front of you, putting it between yourself and the flames. To keep your hands protected, roll back the blanket at the edges where you're grasping it and cover your hands with the material.

Step 3: Smother the Flame

Your first impulse might be to throw the fire blanket on the fire and run away. However, this could cause the blanket to slide off or miss the target.

If you're contending with a cooking fat fire, carefully place the blanket on top of the flames. As you lay it gently over the fire, keep your hands and face behind the blanket to protect yourself. Once it's covered, resist the urge to toss the bottom of the blanket over the flames to reach the far side of the fire. Doing so could cause the flames to run up the blanket and reach your hands.

What if the fire isn't in the kitchen, but on a person?

If there's a clothing fire, wrap the fire blanket around both the flames and the person. Never try to remove the clothing first.

Instruct the person to drop to the ground and roll, keeping the blanket wrapped all the way around their body. The fire should go out as they roll.

Step 4: Turn off the Heat Source

After you've contained a grease fire, your next step is to locate the heat source and turn it off. Rather than quickly taking the blanket off or picking it up intermittently to check on its progress, leave it be for at least 15 minutes.

The area beneath it will become burnt and the heat will slowly dissipate while the active flames die away.

Step 5: Seek Emergency Support

Once you've used the fire blanket successfully, you still need to contact emergency support personnel. In Australia, this means dialling 000 to call the fire service. Inform them on all of the details, share your location and wait for help to arrive.

Other Must-Have Fire Safety Gear

A fire blanket is a great resource to have on hand in case of a fire. However, you shouldn't stop there. When you're preparing your fire safety kit, there are myriad other tools to include, such as:

• Safety glasses
• Burn treatments
• Fire extinguisher signage
• Family first-aid kits
• Elastic gauze bandages
• Bandage shears
• Wound dressings and closures
• Ice packs

Take the time to stock your home and workplace with all of the essential products that can help soothe a burn or prevent it from happening in the first place.

Find First-Aid and Medical Supplies Today

It's cliche, but an ounce of prevention really can make a world of difference. Knowing how to stay safe and prevent an emergency is vital.

However, we recognize that accidents happen and emergencies occur on a regular basis. To that end, it's also smart to equip yourself with quick access to first-aid and medical supplies that you can quickly utilize at a moment's notice.

From a fire blanket to a defibrillator, you never know what you'll need when the unexpected happens. That's why we keep a wide range of safety products in stock at all times.

Contact us today to learn more about the supplies we carry and how we can help you achieve valuable peace of mind, one item at a time.