City’s Fire and Rescue Services urge all residents to be extra cautious this winter MyZA

The cold and inclement weather that Capetonians can expect for the remainder of winter will force people to constantly seek ways of keeping warm. If not monitored properly, heaters and brazier devices can, and often do, result in residential fires.

Do not overload your electrical circuits – in other words, don’t use more than four plugs on one extension (with your heater, your kettle, your stove…).
Service your electrical components regularly and replace faulty equipment.
Switch off all electrical appliances at the wall at night or when leaving your home.
Do not leave the pot on the stove unless you are watching it.
Electrical connections must be professionally installed and properly earthed with the correct circuit breakers installed.

Always handle paraffin with extreme care, as it is poisonous and can burn your skin even if unlit. Paraffin is often sold in containers contaminated with chemicals such as petrol, or mixed with methylated spirits. This can cause it to flare dangerously or even explode.
Paraffin can cause severe burns, and paraffin stoves that are knocked over or explode are a major cause of injuries and fires in informal settlements. Paraffin also emits harmful fumes when ignited.
Never leave a paraffin appliance unattended. It only takes a second for a gust of wind, a pet or child to knock over a lamp or stove.
Make sure paraffin appliances are on a flat, firm surface.
Do not put a cloth under a paraffin appliance. A child or pet could pull the trailing end and the cloth will then burn, fuelling the fire.
Always have a bucket of sand nearby when using a paraffin appliance. Water will not extinguish a paraffin fire and can make matters worse by spreading the flames. Paraffin fires can only be extinguished using sand or a fire extinguisher.

Keep a close eye on paraffin stoves. Don’t cook near a window with a curtain.
Make sure the stove doesn’t fall over, which may burn children or cause a fire.
Make sure candles are secure and can’t fall over. Don’t go to sleep with candles still burning.
Teach children about the dangers of fire.
Watch out for discarded cigarette butts.
Be aware of the dangers of illegal and faulty electricity connections, which also cause fires.
Keep a bucket handy to fill with water so that you can extinguish flames easily.
Keep a bucket of sand nearby to put out paraffin fires.
Build dwellings a good distance (at least 3 metres) apart to prevent fires from spreading.
Make sure this space is kept open.
Keep roads and access to dwellings clear at all times.
Do not block roads with possessions when there is a fire.
Do not prevent or disrupt the work of fire-fighting crews.

Keep a well-maintained fire extinguisher in your house, and know how to use it.
If you have a garden hose, keep it rolled up and ready in case of fire.
Where possible, have more than one exit from your house.
Have an escape plan, and make sure that the whole family knows the plan.
Do not park in the way of a fire hydrant, and remind your neighbours and visitors to do the same.
Keep matches and lighters out of children’s reach.
Cut candles in half to prevent them falling over – and use a candle holder.
Do not smoke in bed!

Remember always to call for the City’s Fire and Rescue Services by dialling 107 from a landline before you make any attempt to fight a fire yourself.

If your clothing catches fire, do the stop, drop and roll procedure:

Stop where you are
Drop to the floor
Roll around on the floor

This will smother the flames and save your life.

If another person catches fire, smother the flames by wrapping him or her in a blanket, carpet or rug.

The fire is spreading beyond its point of origin.
You can’t fight the fire with your back to an escape route.
The fire can block your only escape route.
You don’t have adequate fire-fighting equipment.
Your path of escape is threatened. Rather evacuate while you still can!
Make sure that your fire-fighting equipment is clean and in working order. Read the manufacturer’s instructions to see how often this needs to be done.
Modern-day fire-fighting equipment is highly efficient and sophisticated. But unless you know how to use the equipment, and unless it is in good working condition, easy to find and easy to get hold of, it is quite useless!