The Official RJWestmore Blog

We are proud to announce our official receipt of approval by the Los Angeles Fire Department.  The RJWestmore Online Training system is the leading system in the United States for Online Fire/Life safety training in commercial buildings.  Among the nation’s leaders in fire safety codes, Los Angeles has recently passed stringent requirements for training in high rise buildings.  Los Angeles Fire Department Fire Code LAMC Sec. 57.33.19 covers online training and “certification of fire safety directors and floor wardens, as prescribed in the recent amendment to the stated City ordinance.”

If you have any questions about how this may affect you if your commercial properties are located in Los Angeles, we would be happy to discuss them with you.  Just shoot us an email!

As a volunteer member of the National Fire Protection Association Education Section, RJWestmore is helping spread the word about the importance of home fire sprinklers.

Using only a fraction of the water used by fire department hoses, home fire sprinklers save lives, reduce property loss and help cut insurance premiums. In addition, 90% of fires are contained by the operation of just one sprinkler.

Fire sprinklers are economical, reliable and proven to be the best way to protect your family and home from the dangers of fire.

That should be comforting news for you and your family when you consider that 4,000 people die in fires each year – 80% of them in home fires.

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While fires and earthquakes are common occurrences in America, tsunamis are not. But that doesn’t mean we’re without risk.

Like the unexpected tsunami that devastated Southeast Asia in 2004, the coastal United States could experience a tsunami in the future.

To keep you prepared for disasters of all kinds, RJWestmore has compiled the following information aimed at helping you stay informed about issues of life safety.

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We talk a lot about fire safety – because, well, it’s our passion. But as important as fire safety is, it’s equally important to remember that it doesn’t start and end with adults. Children should practice fire safety, too.

That’s why we’ve compiled a few good resources on teaching kids about fire safety.

The first is FireSafety.gov, which has lots of great activities, including crossword puzzles, coloring pages, a matching game, and a fire safety quiz that offers an official junior fire marshal certificate upon completion. Just for fun, we’ve tested out all of these activities and they’re well worth the visit to the site. In addition, the site’s animated moderators, Marty and Jett, guide kids through the lessons, enhancing the experience even more.

From the National Fire Protection Association comes Sparky.org – with everyone’s friend, Sparky the Fire Dog. Kids can learn all they need to know about fire safety through activities like “Fun with Fire Trucks,” “Ask Sparky,” “Sparky’s Arcade,” and “Hot Diggity Dalmatians.” When they’re finished having fun while learning, children can send e-cards to friends and family for special occasions.

PBS KIDS Sprout – at SproutOnline.com – reminds kids to “Practice Fire Safety Every Day.” Fireman Sam and friends have plenty of ways to teach the importance of fire safety with the “Hot & Cold Game,” make-your-own fire safety badges, video safety tips, and more.

Parents – you never know when fire will strike. And we at RJWestmore hope it never does. But the reality is, it could happen to you and your family. So, please, prepare your children by practicing fire safety. It can be educational and fun when you use the resources provided here.

Good luck, and BE SAFE!

Your house is on fire – what do you do?

Most people panic and create even more chaos. But that’s no way to handle a serious situation – especially when lives are at stake.

To make the most of precious time when disaster strikes, RJWestmore recommends that all households have a fire escape plan in place. It will only take a few minutes to create – but it could be your lifeline when survival is a matter of seconds.

To learn more about making a fire escape plan, including how to download a FREE fire escape plan grid, visit www.firesafety.gov.

In the meantime, consider these safety tips from FireSafety.gov, which will help you and your loved ones put an escape plan in place.

Practice Escaping from Every Room in the Home
Practice escape plans every month. The best plans have two ways to get out of each room. If the primary way is blocked by fire or smoke, you will need a second way out. A secondary route might be a window onto an adjacent roof or using an Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) approved collapsible ladder for escape from upper story windows. Make sure that windows are not stuck, screens can be taken out quickly and that security bars can be properly opened. Also, practice feeling your way out of the house in the dark or with your eyes closed.

Security Bars Require Special Precautions
Security bars may help to keep your family safe from intruders, but they can also trap you in a deadly fire! Windows and doors with security bars must have quick release devices to allow them to be opened immediately in an emergency. Make sure everyone in the family understands and practices how to properly operate and open locked or barred doors and windows.

Immediately Leave the Home
When a fire occurs, do not waste any time saving property. Take the safest exit route, but if you must escape through smoke, remember to crawl low, under the smoke and keep your mouth covered. The smoke contains toxic gases that can disorient you or, at worst, overcome you.

Never Open Doors that Are Hot to the Touch
When you come to a closed door, use the back of your hand to feel the top of the door, the doorknob, and the crack between the door and door frame to make sure that fire is not on the other side. If it feels hot, use your secondary escape route. Even if the door feels cool, open it carefully. Brace your shoulder against the door and open it slowly. If heat and smoke come in, slam the door and make sure it is securely closed, then use your alternate escape route.

Designate a Meeting Place Outside and Take Attendance
Designate a meeting location away from the home, but not necessarily across the street. For example, meet under a specific tree or at the end of the driveway or front sidewalk to make sure everyone has gotten out safely and no one will be hurt looking for someone who is already safe. Designate one person to go to a neighbor’s home to phone the fire department.

Once Out, Stay Out
Remember to escape first and then notify the fire department using the 911 system or proper local emergency number in your area. Never go back into a burning building for any reason. Teach children not to hide from firefighters. If someone is missing, tell the firefighters. They are equipped to perform rescues safely.

In light of recent wildfires that have devastated some California communities, the National Fire Protection Association has issued the following tips on how to protect your family and your home:

• If you’re moving to a new home in a rural area or buying land to build a new home, do a thorough outdoor fire safety check before you proceed. Locate the home on the lot with adequate setback from downhill slopes. Wildland fire travels uphill rapidly - make sure that your home won’t be in its path.
• Make sure that the area has adequate public fire protection available. Will emergency vehicles have easy access to the house? Is you address clearly visible from the road. Will firefighters have access to a water supply to put out a fire?
• Make your roof fire-safe. Untreated-wood shake roofs are the leading cause of wildland fire losses. A roof made of fire-resistant or noncombustible materials can make your home safer. Also, use non-combustible (metal) screening in eave vents and for windows.
• Sweep gutters, roofs and eaves regularly and remove dead branches from around or near chimneys. Burning firebrands or embers can collect in the same space that leaves and pine needles do. Remove leaves and needles from cellar window walls and from corners and crevices around the outside of your home.
• Create a survivable space, safety zone or “fire break” around your home. Flammable (highly resinous) plants, woodpiles and debris should be kept as far away as possible from the exterior walls of the home. Fences, decks or outbuildings connected to the house must be considered part of the house; construct them out of non-combustible materials and keep them clear of pine needles, dried leaves, etc.

For even more safety tips, visit the Firewise Communities Web site.

As part of its Topical Fire Research Series, the U.S. Fire Administration has compiled alarming statistics on holiday hazards.

According to this report, from Dec. 24 to 26, fire deaths, injuries and dollar loss increases an average of 50%, 61% and 43%, respectively. That’s a huge spike in emergency situations over the course of just a few days, turning what should be a time of joy and celebration into devastating tragedies.

In addition, the yearly estimated fire loss for Dec. 24, 25 and 26 is more than $80 million, and each year these losses result from an estimated 11,600 fires that require a fire department response.

This holiday season, be prepared and practice caution. Keep in mind that as Christmas trees dry out, the risk of fire increases; the use of candles contributes to the increase in holiday fires; and cooking fires increase on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

You can help prevent these situations by paying attention to tree water levels and open flames and checking lights for potential electrical problems – not just around the holidays, but all year round.

RJWestmore wishes you and yours the very best and SAFE holidays this year!

Last week, RJWestmore participated in the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history, The Great Southern California ShakeOut, where we trained a group of commercial property managers on earthquake preparedness.

That day, millions of people in homes, schools, businesses, government offices and public areas all over southern California participated in the event to prepare themselves for the inevitable – a magnitude 7.8 or higher earthquake along the San Andreas Fault that scientists expect will happen.

As part of RJWestmore’s mission to “Save Lives Through Training,” we’re including links to earthquake preparedness resources on our blog this week, including information on the ShakeOut; the Drop, Cover, and Hold On! procedure; the Golden Guardian 2008 Exercise Series, from Governor Schwarzenegger and his Office of Homeland Security; and a great educational video from Preparedness Now, which is available below.

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The U.S. Fire Administration has compiled the following statistics for 2007. The verdict? Fire killed more Americans than all natural disasters combined. The stats below illustrate the supreme importance of fire safety training and education.

The Overall Fire Picture for 2007:

• There were 3,430 civilians who lost their lives as the result of fire.
• There were 17,675 civilian injuries that occurred as the result of fire.
• There were 118 firefighters killed while on duty.
• 84 percent of all civilian fire deaths occurred in residences.
• There were an estimated 1.6 million fires in 2007.
• Direct property loss due to fires was estimated at $14.6 billion.
• An estimated 32,500 intentionally set structure fires resulted in 295 civilian deaths.
• Intentionally set structure fires resulted in an estimated $733 million in property damage.

Source: National Fire Protection Association Fire Loss in the U.S. 2007 and USFA’s Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2007.

The Los Angeles Public Safety Commission will vote and then pass to City Council for final approval new regulations regarding Fire Life Safety Training Code 57.33.19. If approved, the L.A. Fire Department will initiate these updated regulations to high-rise buildings, effective Jan. 1, 2009.

Violation of the new regulations could result in daily fines from $100 to $1,000 and/or up to six months in jail. Any fees unpaid within 60 days of the due date will be subject to a 50% penalty.

If you are an existing RJWestmore Training System customer with a current emergency response plan, your obligations regarding the new regulations are almost fulfilled. There will be a meeting on December 10 to finalize additional information required by the LAFD in your emergency manual, as well as specific training requirements for your building’s fire safety director and individual floor wardens.

However, if no one is taking care of your building’s fire/life safety plans, please contact us today.

Stay tuned to RJWestmore.com for updates on the new fire regulations and how they could affect your building(s).