There are hundreds of people who die and thousands more are injured in accidents involving electrical fires or shocks. If you have a fire and lose your quarantine, haven you really have a problem. Since every ones plan to stop the pandemic bird flu centers around some form of a quarantine, fire prevention is a major area of concern. Do not underestimate this sections importance! Think about it what you would do if your house burned down in the middle of the time you needed it most to isolate yourself from the virus. By the time, you relocated and transferred all your food and water reserves, et cetera; there is a good chance of exposure to the virus.

The most inexpensive and effective early fire detection pieces of equipment you can get are simple smoke detectors, which only cost $5 to $20. This fire detector can save you a lot of unnecessary pain. The secret is to properly place and maintain the smoke detectors you install. You increase your chances of survival by a walloping 50%. Your home is most vulnerable to fire from 11 P.M. and 7 A.M. while you and your family are asleep. Most people die of smoke and poisonous gases while they are sleeping.

When a fire occurs, time is of the essence, you only have a limited time to escape. A smoke detector can wake you up early enough while escape is still possible. You should have at least one detector on each floor. Any additional detectors will give you a better chance of early detection. You should buy battery-powered units due to the possibility of electricity problems. Pick a brand that was tested by a nationally recognized laboratory.

Smoke detectors are best placed near bedrooms either on the ceiling(at least six to twelve inches away from the wall) or (on the wall and six to twelve inches down from the ceiling). Do not place near areas where drafts created by fans or air ducts can prevent them from being effective. The detector needs to be able to sense the smoke as it approaches where you sleep. Attach battery-operated smoke detectors directly to the ceiling or wall. You can install them easily with no problems. Wired electrical detectors are more of a problem and you may need an electrician to handle installation. Remember during a bird flu pandemic the lights could go out and a wired electrical system will not provide any alert. For that reason a suggest using a battery-operated system.

Test all smoke detectors at least once a month by pushing the test button.Many people forget to do this and the smoke detectors do not operate in all too many cases. Also, vacuum the dust from the alarm vents once a year. Replace the batteries when needed (when the sound becomes weak or every six months).

Practice makes perfect when all of your familyor close associates know what to do and where to go in case of an emergency. Knowing that a fire has begun is great and obviously saving lives is the most important concern. However, much time and afford must be placed on prevention. We do not want to have to fight a fire unless it is necessary. Remember, firefighters for the most part will not be available or at least you cannot count on them as you do normally.

You can prevent most of the problems by following simple electrical-safety rules. 1. The first one is when a circuit breaker activates or a fuse blows, do not only reset or replace it. The system had a problem for a reason, what caused the system to overload? Find out what that reason is and correct the problem. 2. Always, make sure you know what the correct amperage rating is for the circuit. Do not replace a circuit breaker or a fuse with one that exceeds the amperage rating for a given circuit. 3. Put different high-amperage appliances on different circuits so they do not overload. Look at your circuit breaker box and see which breaker connects to which outlets. Do not use appliances such as space heaters, irons or other heat-producing appliances on the same circuit. 4. Do not try to take a short cut by using other materials that conduct electricity like a penny in place of a fuse. 5. Always keep electrical cords out of high traffic and children playing areas.6. Make sure all electrical cords are in good condition with no cracks, frays or any damage at all. 7. Do not pinch an electrical cord against any walls, furniture, or appliance. 8. Please, do not run extension cords under carpets, around, or across doorways. 9. Your lights should be on level, uncluttered surfaces and make sure the lampshades will protect the bulb if the lamb hits the ground. 10. Also, make sure that no over recommendations for light bulb wattage applies to the lamp fixtures.
GFCI means Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter and it monitors the current flowing through a circuit it cuts off the electricity when there is an imbalance. It will respond to problems faster than a circuit breaker or fuse and can protect people from prolonged electrical shock and serious injury. Plug or install this great inexpensive product at outlets, or built into extension cords. Be sure to test and reset GFCI's monthly to make sure they are working ok. 11. Outdoor extension cords should not run across lawns for seasonal lighting displays and do not run extension cords across driveways or traffic areas. 12. Plug any appliances used outdoors into outlets protected byGFCI’s.13. Do not use electrical appliances outside in wet weather. That also includes wet ground or grass. Except when the appliance design is for wet weather and has a label by an independent testing lab proving such use. 14. You should use only weatherproof fixtures and GFCI outlets with weatherproof covers for outdoor installations.

15. Everyone should report power lines that are down and warn others with markings to alert for accidental execution. Obviously, never touch or even go near a power line because a fatal shock or severe injury can be the result. 16. Never put ladders especially metal ones near power lines. This would especially include electrical service to your home.

Specially during a bird flu pandemic, everyone should be proactive instead of waiting for something bad to happen so look for the warning signs. Spot electrical problems before they cause a shock or fire. 1. If you are, blowing fuses or circuit breakers that are tripping frequently. 2. You should notice wall outlets where the color has changed. 3. Notice an unusual smell or burning odor coming form an appliance or wiring. 4. If you feel a tingle sensation when you touch an electrical, light that is a sign of bad things ahead. 5. You notice a sizzling sound at wall switches or outlets. 6. You notice the lights flickering with out explanation. If you are unable to find the problem yourself, call an electrician or the power company immediately to inspect the electrical connection of your home at the electric meter. Weather causes many problems to outdoor meters.

It is important to take action at once when you spot a warning sign do not wait for a problem to surface. Unplug or turn off an appliance that does not work properly. In some cases, you may want to cut off the power to a malfunctioning circuit by disconnecting the fuse or activating the breaker manually. Call a professional to correct the situation.

1. You should have a professional electrician replace damaged or old outlets with up to date three-wired, polarized receptacles. 2. Make sure that the plugs match the outlets. 3. It is important to properly ground to reduce fire and shock hazards. Use three-pronged plugs and three-wired receptacles or a correctly grounded adapter. Standard polarized plugs, with one prong wider than the other, need polarized receptacles. 4. You should never modify the wide prong of a polarized plug to make it fit into an outdated outlet. You should have the outlet replaced and properly grounded. 5. You can protect children from electrical shock by installing plastic safety inserts in unused outlets. 6. You should never cut off or bend the ground pin of a three-pronged plug. Because the ground connection is, what protects you from severe shock caused by a defective cord or damaged appliance.

Always make sure before you buy an appliance that it has a label of an independent testing laboratory, which indicate that it has met basic safety standards. 2. It is important to allow a lot of space around stereos, computers, and televisions, so they do not overheat. 3. Always, keep any electrical cords away from heat-producing appliances, such as coffee makers and toasters. 4. It is very important to keep heat-producing appliances, such as electric ranges, irons, and electric space heaters, at least three feet or one meter away from curtains, bedding, furniture, or something that will burn. 5. Lastly, always make sure that detachable appliance cords, such as those used with deep-fat fryers, coffee makers, and popcorn poppers have the proper ratings for the electrical-load requirements of the appliance.

PANDEMIC SWINE FLU FIRE SAFETY IMPORTANT FACTS, DID YOU KNOW, AND DO‘S AND DON‘TS!

1. Don't leave matches and lighters lying around for the little hands to find.

2. If you sleep in a bedroom with a door closed, you should have a smoke detector in the bedroom.

3. You should Test your smoke detectors once a month, record the date and replace dead batteries. Because experts estimate that up to 50%, of people’s smoke detectors do not work because the batteries are dead or missing.

4. Make sure to practice a fire escape plan with your entire family or quarantine associates. It is important to stay low and crawl to safety.

5. Why should you stay low in a fire? Because heat at the floor level is 90 degrees and heat at height, level is 600 degrees. The heat can knock you unconscious and kill you at only 150 degrees.

6. You should never borrow batteries from smoke detectors and warn everyone in your household to leave working batteries in their place.

7. A fire burning in a house for 1 minute grows to 3 times its original size, 11 times in 4 minutes and 50 times in only 6 minutes.

8. Usually, you should get the people out of the fire first then call for help.

9. The fact is most people die in the first five minutes of a fire.

10. You should install smoke detectors on every level of your home.

11. People cannot smell smoke when they are asleep. In fact, you will go into a deeper sleep while inhaling smoke.