HOW FIRE IS CONTROLLED 



139 



should always be covered with heavy insulating ma- 

 terial such as asbestos. Stoves and furnaces should 

 never be placed rear woodwork. Kerosene or gasoline 

 should not be used to kindle a fire. The vapor of these 

 substances forms explosive mixtures with air, and 

 many people have been fatally burned from resulting 

 explosions. Ashes should always be kept in metal con- 

 tainers. The flues and chimneys of furnaces should be 

 kept clean and in good working order at all times. 



Common matches are a fire hazard. They should 

 be kept away from small children and protected from 

 rats and mice. Only matches of the best quality should 

 be used. The most desirable match is the safety match, 

 which ignites only when rubbed upon the side of the 

 box. 



Many fires are caused through the use of electrical 

 equipment. Read carefully thje following statements 

 which give the precautions necessary in the use of 

 electricity and electrical equipment. 



Never wire buildings without proper insulation. 

 Always be sure you are using the proper fuses. 

 Never have too many electrical devices operat- 

 ing at the same time. 



Never leave an electrical heating device while 

 the current is turned on. 



FIG. 221. HOW TO ELIMINATE FIRE HAZARDS 



See that electrical wires are always covered with 



insulation. 



Never use too small wires for a heavy current. 

 The use of illuminating devices such as candles, 

 kerosene and gasoline lamps, and gas flames increases 

 the dangers of fire in the home. These devices should 

 always be used with the utmost care. 



Never have lamps near curtains or drapery. 



Never use lamp shades made of materials that 



burn readily unless the flame is protected by 



an insulating substance. 



Never fill a kerosene or a gasoline lamp while 



it is lit. 



Never have lamps where they can be easily up- 

 set. 



Sometimes fires occur as a result of spontaneous com- 

 bustion. Have you ever heard of a stack of uncured hay 

 catching fire of itself? When substances combine with 

 oxygen of the air, heat is formed. Ordinarily when 

 slow oxidation takes place the heat is immediately 

 given off. Some substances unite with oxygen and 

 the heat is retained. As a result the temperature con- 

 tinues to rise until the kindling temperature is 

 reached, when the substances burst into a flame and 

 burn rapidly. This is called spontaneous combustion. 

 It is believed that a considerable number of farm 

 buildings are burned each year through the spon- 

 taneous combustion of hay. 

 Hay should always be thor- 

 oughly cured and dry be- 

 fore it is put into the mows 

 or stacks. Oily rags and cot- 

 ton waste should be kept in 

 covered metal containers. 

 Why? 



How are fires extin- 

 guished ? From our study of 

 burning we learned that a 

 fire requires three things: 

 a combustible substance, 

 oxygen, and a temperature 

 above the kindling point. 

 If a fire is deprived of any 

 one of these three things, it 

 will go out. In fighting fires 

 we generally try to cut off 

 the oxygen supply or cool 

 the burning substance be- 

 low its kindling tempera- 

 ture or both. 



Water is one of the best 

 and most widely used fire 

 extinguishers. The proper- 

 ties it possesses make it 

 very useful for this purpose. 



American-LoFrancc-l-oamitc 



FIG. 222. COMMERCIAL FIRE 

 EXTINGUISHER 



