How Can Fire Blankets Save Lives?

When it comes to the risk of fire in a home or a workplace, it’s always important to be prepared. Not only do you want to make sure that any person who catches themselves in a fire gets out unscathed, but you also want to be prepared to protect any property that might be damaged in a fire. When it comes to saving lives and protecting property, you can never have enough equipment around to prepare you for the worst-case scenario.

This is why it’s so important to have working smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and smoke detectors in the workplace. Fires can catch very quickly and spread even more so. Fire blankets can be useful in the event of a fire for multiple reasons. Read along to learn about the importance of fire safety and why you might want to keep a fire blanket on hand just in case.

What is a Fire Blanket?

A fire blanket, simply put, is a safety device used in the event of a fire that can put out or contain small fires. Usually, fire blankets are created with fire-resistant materials woven into a sheet. Often, fire blankets are stored in a container mounted on a wall, similar to how fire extinguishers are set aside. Typically, fire blankets can contain fires up to about 1500 degrees Fahrenheit.

The way a fire blanket works is that it can be thrown over a small fire and ultimately extinguish a small cluster of flames from growing bigger by suffocating it of oxygen. Fire blankets can come in handy when it comes to keeping a small fire from growing into something much worse.

Most of the time, you’ll see fire blankets installed in kitchens, but they are also regularly seen in buildings that are used for business, education, industrial, and residential purposes. When you pull the handles on the container that a fire blanket is installed in, the blanket will drop from the wall. While you don’t need any specific training when it comes to utilizing a fire blanket, it’s important to be familiar with the instructions on the container before attempting to use it.

Dos and Don’ts of Using a Fire Blanket

Perhaps a small fire has broken out in your workplace, school, or residence. Depending on the nature of the fire itself, there are a few different ways to use the fire blanket to extinguish the flames. First, if you know the source of the fire, assess if you can turn it off. If it’s not safe to do so, skip this step.

When releasing the fire blanket, you’ll want to pull the tapes or handles. Then, in order to protect yourself from potentially catching on fire or burning yourself, hold the blanket in a shield-like position as you approach the fire. You can even wrap the blanket around your hands while doing this if it’s physically possible. Then you’ll want to place the blanket over the fire and leave it there to cool.

You’ll want to keep the blanket over the flames until the fire is completely smothered. However, if the fire has surpassed the blanket in terms of size, call the fire service, and safely remove yourself and others from the building. In addition to being used on standing fires, you can also use fire blankets on someone whose clothing has caught fire.

Instead of reaching for the fire extinguisher, grab the fire blanket and wrap it around the person who has caught fire. This will smother any oxygen and put out the fire. It’s also a good idea to have the person in a horizontal position so that the fire is prevented from reaching the person’s face and hair.

How is a Fire Blanket Used?

You might be wondering if a fire blanket can be used in place of a fire extinguisher. The answer is that no, a fire blanket is not a good replacement for a fire extinguisher. Even if you have a fire blanket on hand, you should still have fire extinguishers available on the property. While fire blankets can be incredibly handy in putting out small flames, they cannot always prevent a bigger fire from starting.

When the flames become too big to be encapsulated by a fire blanket, a fire extinguisher is an appropriate way to try to extinguish a growing fire. Still, fire blankets can be incredibly handy in a pinch. This is especially true when it comes to preventing small fires from becoming bigger and preventing people from major injuries after their clothes catch fire.

Because a fire thrives on fuel, oxygen, and heat to survive and grow bigger, a highly flame-resistant blanket can be effective in suffocating and putting the fire out for good. Additionally, in any scenario, you should always be prepared for a potentially dangerous situation by practicing fire safety.

Practice Fire Safety in the Workplace

Whether you’re worried about protecting the people and property in your workplace, school, or residence, a fire blanket can be an incredible tool that can save lives and thousands of dollars in damaged property. Fire safety isn’t something to mess around with, and it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry. Investing in a quality fire blanket can save a life and even save a person from life-shattering injuries.

If you’re interested in purchasing fire blankets for your workplace or residence, head over to our website at Singer Safety. We are a company dedicated to providing the best quality barrier protection in workplaces across many different industries. While we specialize in protecting people from industrial hazards like heat, dust, flak, sparks, flash, molten metal, and unwanted noise, we also offer a number of different tools for containing and putting out fires.

Take a look at our fire blankets, fire extinguisher covers, and first aid blankets on our website. Or, if you’re looking for other types of protection against industrial hazards, peruse our industrial curtains, safety screens, and noise control systems. At Singer Safety, we’re dedicated to providing you with the most efficient safety equipment in the game.