The Threat of Fire Continues

CEBU, Philippines — March was Fire Prevention Month. The month was also historically the time when most fires would happen. Ironic, it would seem.

Actually, things had occurred in the reverse order. It was first noticed that March was the start of a “burning” season. And so a way was devised to draw public attention to the high probability of a fire occurring during this first month of summer, in order to remind people to be extra careful.

The onset of the hot, dry period makes anything highly combustible. Aside from human tempers getting edgy, anything else can blow up amid the heat. Materials very exposed to the fierce summer sun become brittle and parched, and can easily go aflame in the high environmental temperatures.  

Moreover, with today’s homes teeming with electrical appliances and equipment, the threat of a fire is all the more compounded. House cooling systems – whether air-conditioners or simple electric fans – are used to overheating extents. And amid the great discomfort, people are often not too keen on conducting electrical safety checks.

Fire Prevention Month has passed. But it doesn’t mean that the community may now put its guards down and be lenient. The days continue to be searing hot – and fire may still start anytime! 

In general, the home’s electrical system is just for basic lighting, kitchen equipment, and some comfort and entertainment devices. But as electrical appliances have become more and more affordable, it’s easy for people nowadays to bring home a new gadget now and then. Then the probability of an electrical overload rises. It is hard to detect when electrical wires begin to overheat and their wiring insulation melts since the house wiring is mostly hidden in the walls.

Actually, there’s a lot that can be done to eliminate or at least minimize the risk of a fire at home. House residents can help avoid a fire by being watchful of the following telltale signs of possible electrical trouble:

1. Flickering or dimming lights. When houselights flicker shortly after being turned on or are noticeably dimmer than usual, there may be something wrong. With dimming lights, however, the problem may be simply caused by accumulated dust and dirt on the bulb’s body. Turn off the light and disengage the bulb from its socket, and clean thoroughly using a damp cloth applied with liquid detergent. Let the bulb dry first before installing it back. If the illumination does not get any better, it’s time to be wary.

2. Tripping circuit breakers. Circuit breakers that trip off when you switch on an electrical appliance can be a sign that your house electrical system is having a hard time with the load. This problem should not be taken lightly.

3. Wobbly electrical plugs. Plugs that don’t fit tightly into the outlet can mean loose contact. This can mean, further, that contact points can spark at every slight movement. When left uncorrected, this can cause overheating or an outright fire.

4. Hot electrical outlets. It’s very easy and convenient to attach a multiple or octopus plug to a wall outlet when you want to use several electrical gadgets. Most of the time the gadgets run okay even when there are several of them operating at the same time. But the combined load can overheat the wire inside the outlet. Likewise, small extension cables plugged with heavy appliances can spark or explode. If the house outlet feels unusually hot, it is likely that there’s a problem.

5. Smoke or smell of burning metal or plastic. Perhaps there is none more common, unmistakable sign of fire than smoke. When you cannot trace the smoke or burning smell to any normal source, be alarmed.

It is important to act quickly at any of these signs. The main switch shall be turned off at once. Then a qualified electrician shall be called to check the house’s electrical system. Better yet, in case of a smoke that is suspiciously thick and dark, and the possibility of a fire is believe d to be imminent, the fire department shall be called immediately.

It is a good move to contract a qualified electrician to check the house electrical system periodically, especially towards or during summer. House residents shall not attempt to repair malfunctioning electrical fixtures or, for that matter, endeavor to wire the house by themselves. Amateur wiring or electrical jobs can be very dangerous. What little cost might be saved will not be worth the possible damage or injury when something happens.

 As extra precaution, it helps to keep highly flammable and volatile substances away from the kitchen or, better yet, away from the house. Cooking gas, whether in liquid or liquefied form, is also another common cause of fire. So this deserves careful attention, as well.

Likewise, as power failures can frequently occur during summer – probably due in part to the extensive use of cooling systems by industries – emergency lighting like kerosene lamps and candles should not be left unattended or placed near combustible materials. 

It’s true that some accidents are just bound to happen. But at least if they do, it shall not be because of people’s complacency. It is certainly bad enough to be dealing with loss from a fire, much worse when people will have to deal with both the loss and the guilt for it, at the same time.