Don’t be penny wise, fire foolish
31/07/2004 NST
While many people have taken well to the call by the Fire and Rescue
Department for at least one fire extinguisher in every house (as reported
in PropertyTimes last week), there’s still the matter of affordability
that remains a concern of many.
However, all you need to fork out is between RM50 and RM80 to own either a
conventional cylinder extinguisher or the new generation aerosol type that
may just save your life and property.
Just be sure that it is suitable for multiple uses. This means it can be
used to put out most fires that start in houses, for example in the
kitchen or from electrical appliances.
Additionally, smoke detectors, useful as the first indicator of a fire,
should also be installed. Blurred vision caused by thick smoke within
confined space and smoke inhalation are common reasons people fail to
escape from burning buildings - so this is where smoke detectors will
help.
These are available from RM30 to RM70. Opt for battery operated and
non-radioactive ones as they are easy to install and maintain.
Experts advise that every house should have both these items as the first
line of defence against fire disasters.
Here are a few things to consider when equipping your home with the right
fire fighting equipment.
The first thing to note, according to industry expert Eugene Wong, is that
an extinguisher has been tested and approved by the standards authority,
Sirim Bhd, and endorsed by the Fire and Rescue Department as well.
Wong, who is general manager of The Safety Shop Sdn Bhd, a firm dealing
with fire safety equipment for residential, commercial and industrial use,
said cheaper extinguishers are available in the country, but these may not
have the necessary approvals or meet Malaysian standard requirements.
The extinguisher you buy should be portable and easy to use in an
emergency. Choose one that’s lightweight and with an effective discharge
range of between two and four metres.
A conventional extinguisher will need servicing once every year. This
would cost about RM20 to RM30, and involve changing the dry powder
content, which hardens over time.
However, if you want to save on recurring expenses, opt for a
maintenance-free unit that comes with a warranty of four to five years.
Wong said the 1kg and 2kg dry powder conventional cylinder types that cost
from RM50, and the less than 1kg dry powder aerosol can extinguishers that
are priced from RM60, are suitable for residential use.
A fire extinguisher left unused for long periods may leak, so make sure
the one you buy comes with a cap and tamper proof seal. Also, it can
explode if kept in a place where there’s intense heat: Check the label - a
fire extinguisher can normally take heat of up to 70 degrees Celsius.
The aerosol can extinguisher usually comes with a paper label attached, so
make sure that it remains intact, to prevent it from being mistaken for
something else, such as insect spray.
And, in order to be better equipped to face a fire at home, a working
torchlight and a first aid kit are also necessary. |
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