Disasters can happen anytime and anywhere, and amongst the scariest disasters can be sudden fires, which is why it is essential to keep a Fire blanket or a fire extinguisher at your house or offices. Depending on which region you are currently residing in, you might be familiar with fire extinguishers and might not have heard about fire blankets before.
For instance, in the United States, fire extinguishers are better known; however, this doesn’t refute the importance of fire blankets. Both the fire extinguishers and the fire blankets are functional and practical for extinguishing small fires with efficiency. However, it wouldn’t hurt to know about the differences between each and how they would perform regarding their usability.
Fire Extinguishers as a Safety Equipment
Perhaps amongst the best-known methods of extinguishing the fire, you will find the safety tools of fire extinguishers. The primary reason is that the fire extinguisher is more well-known compared to the fire blankets. If you see the small fire in its early stage, you can make good use of the fire extinguisher to tackle and control the fire.
You can have different fire extinguishers, such as the general fire extinguisher, that can handle common fires. You will also find a CO2 fire extinguisher that doesn’t leave behind any residue and is excellent for fires that incorporate gases, electricity, flammable liquids, etc.
In other words, you can find a fire extinguisher for nearly every situation. Fire extinguishers are commonly found in public places, such as offices, schools, and commercial buildings. In some cases, fire extinguishers are required for buses, trucks, and tractors as well.
Fire Blankets as a Safety Equipment
The working mechanism of fire blankets is entirely different from fire extinguishers. The simple yet effective working mechanism of fire blankets revolves around depriving a fire of its oxygen and ultimately smothering it.
Ideally, the fire blanket is non-flammable itself and thus provides a perfect barrier for oxygen and heat. Depending on the type of fire blanket, it might also contain a layer of fiberglass that renders the fire blanket perfect for serving as a barrier for heat and oxygen while preventing the fiberglass from coming in contact with your skin.
Fire blankets are excellent for personal safety and protection; fire extinguishers are excellent for larger spaces, such as office buildings, commercial buildings, schools, etc. Fire blankets can save a person’s life and prevent damage. If you see a person’s clothing or hair on fire, wrap them up instantly in the fire blanket.
The ideal steps to use a fire blanket include “drop” and “roll,” which eventually ensures that minimum burns and injuries occur. Fire blankets are most useful when the person on fire cannot move due to some illness, age, or some other reason.
Compared to the fire blanket, if you would discharge or use a fire extinguisher on a person, it could impact their health and lead to serious problems, such as smoke inhalation and resultant lung irritation. Suppose flames surround you, and people are trying to help you out. A fire blanket could protect you and the helping people during the evacuation process and minimize the damage due to flames exposure.
The ideal situation to use fire blankets is when the fire is in its early stages, such as a cooking fire that went off due to a pan. Sometimes people make the mistake of extinguishing the cooking fire by throwing water, which only worsens the situation.
By keeping a fire blanket in your house, you can minimize the potential damage that a fire might cause and keep yourself and your loved ones safe and protected from fire accidents.
