CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — It’s National Burn Awareness Week, and the Chattanooga Fire Department is urging people to educate themselves on the proper safety measures to prevent burn injuries.
The Chattanooga Fire Department says the vapors produced by flammable liquids mixes with air and burns quickly when it’s heated.
CFD warns that flammable and combustible liquids both burn readily and intensively and are explosive under certain conditions.
Monday CFD’s fire chief, Phil Hyman, gave us a closer look at how those liquids burn.
“If you watch you’ll notice the vapors, and small pan of flammable liquids on fire,” Hyman says.
CFD says safe handling and storage of flammable liquids is very important.
They say to store gasoline in a UL-approved containers at room temperature, and away from heat sources like your hot water heater or furnace.
The department says burn injuries continue to be one of the leading causes of accidental death and injury in our nation.
And almost one-third of all burn injuries occur in children under the age of 15.
“Time and time again we’ve seen burn injuries that result in that fact,” Hyman says.
CFD says, if you’re starting a campfire or burning brush, never use gasoline or other flammable, combustible liquids to start or accelerate the fire.
They remind the public, if your clothes catch fire, stop, drop, and roll.
Here is the full list of safety tips from CFD:
- If you spill a flammable liquid, open the windows immediately. Don’t use fans or other electrical devices, which can be a source of ignition. After cleaning up a spill, take rags and towels out of the home and dispose of them.
- If you get liquids on your hands, don’t wipe them on your clothes or your pants or shirt may become flammable. If your clothing does become contaminated, spot-wash it by hand, then dry it on a line. Avoid using a washer or dryer, which can sometimes ignite the clothing.
- Store gasoline in a UL-approved container at room temperature away from heat sources like your hot water heater or furnace. Also, store flammable solvents like paint thinner and turpentine in tightly sealed containers away from heat sources.
- Don’t spray aerosol cans in a room with a candle or fireplace. In addition, the pressurized cans themselves might explode when overheated, so keep them away from heat sources. An explosion also could occur if a pressurized can is accidentally punctured.
- If you’re starting a campfire or burning brush, never use gasoline or other flammable, combustible liquids to start or accelerate the fire. If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop and roll: Immediately stop what you are doing, drop to the ground and cover your face with your hand before continuously rolling over or back and forth until the fire is out.
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