The Official RJWestmore Blog

The RJWestmore Training System by Universal Fire/Life Safety Services is thankful to count several buildings in the Houston area among our subscribers. Our hearts go out to the victims and families from the Houston Fire Department.

On Tuesday, June 4, 2013, a horrific fire broke out at an inn and vegetarian restaurant in Houston, Texas, killing four firefighters and injuring 14 more, making it the single deadliest day in the history of the Houston Fire Department and the third largest in the nation. The incident is just one of several across the country which have recently claimed far too many human lives – from the Boston Marathon bombing to the fertilizer plant explosion in Central Texas to the devastating tornadoes in Oklahoma.

According to Houston authorities, only once before has the city lost multiple firefighters in a single day…in 1929 in a freak accident, when a fire engine was hit by a train, resulting in the death of three firefighters. This month’s fire is believed to have sparked at a restaurant adjacent to the Southwest Inn just after noon, eventually morphing into a monstrous inferno.

According to Houston Fire Chief Terry Garrison, first-responders arrived at the scene at 12:11 p.m. to rescue the 45 motel guests. “At some point during the blaze’s ferocious tear through the motel, one of the building’s structural components collapsed and the firefighters who were risking their lives to save our community became trapped beneath the wreckage.”

Although the cause of the lethal blaze has yet to be determined, authorities believe the cause of the death for the four late first-responders was structural collapse. According to a press release, the victims were Capt. EMT Matthew Renaud, 35, of Station 51; Engineer-Operator EMT Robert Bebee, 41, of Station 51; Firefighter EMT Robert Garner, 29, of Station 68; and Probationary Firefighter Anne Sullivan, 24, of Station 68, who graduated from the Houston Fire Department Academy in April, 2013.

The Bhojan Restaurant, an Indian café neighboring the motel, reportedly received numerous citations by city inspectors, over the years…most recently in March, for allegedly failing to clean grease traps on restaurant grounds. However, authorities have not determined if Friday’s deadly inferno was initially triggered by a grease fire. The HFD Arson Bureau, Houston police homicide division, Texas Rangers, the ATF and the state Fire Marshal’s Office are collaborating in the investigation.

“We had an early and quick catastrophic failure of the roof,” Chief Garrison said. “There’s no way that I would have anticipated that we would lose four firefighters. I want to tell the residents of Houston their firefighters acted absolutely courageously today, that there were probably a dozen acts of heroism on that scene.”

Garrison also said firefighters could not be as cautious (this time) as they can with some structure fires because of the fear that employees or hotel guests might have been trapped inside. During a press conference, he vowed that the lost firefighters’ deaths will not be in vain, “We will improve. We will get better. We will learn from this, and we will keep on keepin’ on.”

Richard Mann, executive assistant chief of emergency operations, said his fellow firefighters had been lost because they took an aggressive approach. “It’s what (firefighters) are trained to do when there is a possibility of people trapped inside a burning building. They were serving the citizens of Houston. They took a calculated risk to save lives. In the end, they lost theirs.”

Although the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, we wanted to devote some blog space to remind our readers about kitchen-fire safety. Authorities suspect the Houston fire originated in a kitchen…perhaps involving grease. To BE SAFE, remember these fire-safe tips:

According to FEMA, the majority of kitchen fires are caused by cooking, followed by other heat or flame and appliance fires. Factors most responsible for ignition include:

• Unattended equipment, such as people leaving food in the oven or on the stove and forgetting about it.
• Misuse of material or product
• Additional factors leading to ignition included combustibles being too close to a heat source, discarded flammable materials, or appliances accidentally turned on or not turned off after use.

Be Prepared for a Kitchen Fire:

• Fire Extinguisher: An ABC Dry Chemical fire extinguisher is the best option since it won’t accelerate grease fires. Read the instructions, and know how to operate it.
• Type B Fire Extinguisher on hand, which is for use on fires involving flammable liquids such as grease, gasoline, oil and oil-based plants.
• Type C Fire Extinguisher in your kitchen, which is suitable for use on fires involving appliances, tools, or other equipment that is electrically energized or plugged in.
• Every commercial kitchen should include a Class K Fire Extinguisher, which is intended for use on fires that involve vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats in cooking appliances. These extinguishers are generally found in commercial kitchens, such as those found in restaurants, cafeterias, and caterers. Thankfully, Class K extinguishers are now starting to find their way into the residential market for use in kitchens.
• Smoke Detector: A smoke detector with a pause button is best in case of false alarms. Neighboring rooms to the kitchen should also have smoke detectors.
• Oven Mitts: Protect hands with a thick, durable pair.

If A Cooking Fire Starts:

• Water and grease don’t mix. In the event of a grease fire, NEVER POUR WATER ON IT or it will spread. Use a fire extinguisher, or when in doubt, get out and call for help.
• Put a lid on it. If a pan catches fire, slide a lid over the pan and turn off the stove burner. Leave the lid on until it is completely cool.
• Keep the oven or microwave door shut if fire starts. Turn off the heat. If the flames do not go out immediately, get out and call for help.
• Stop, drop, and roll. If your clothes catch fire, smother them on the kitchen floor before getting out of the house.
• Know when to stop fighting the fire yourself and call in a professional. For detailed instructions about this, check out the free FEMA Fire Prevention Booklet.

The RJWestmore Training System by Universal Fire/Life Safety Services is a convenient and affordable solution to all of the training needs of your building(s). Choosing our service cuts property management training related workloads by 90% and saves you over 50% compared to conventional training! More importantly, IT SAVES LIVES!

In last week’s RJWestmore Training System blog, we discussed the public awareness campaign offered by the International Code Council (ICC) each year to help individuals, families and businesses understand what it takes to create and sustain safe and sustainable structures. Celebrated every May, Building Safety Month reinforces the need for industry professionals to adopt modern, model building codes, a strong and efficient system of code enforcement and a well-trained, professional workforce. Since this week’s theme is Disaster Safety and Mitigation, it’s worthwhile to continue the discussion.

No matter where you live and work, you and everyone in your family and circle of friends and professional colleagues are at risk from natural disasters. Thankfully, there is also some good news. Despite the devastation created by now infamous recent earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes and wildfires give us pause; we are not powerless against these forces. When we learn from mistakes and take steps to prepare as well as help make sure other people learn how to prepare, respond and react, we can share in the miracle of human resilience. People can survive and communities can endure disasters. And they do so because of actions taken beforehand—with purpose, to make structures stronger and people safer.

To make sure your family, friends, colleagues and tenants are prepared for any natural disaster; follow these steps provided by FLASH (Federal Alliance for Safe Homes):

• Develop a family disaster plan that includes a list of food and water supplies needed for each member of your family and supplies for your pets.
  
  
• Make copies of important documents like insurance policies, the deed to your home, and other personal papers, important phone numbers and a home inventory.
  
  
• Create a checklist of important things to do before, during and after a disaster.
  
  
• Review your evacuation route and emergency shelter locations with your family. Options for evacuation should include either staying with friends and relatives, seeking commercial lodging, or staying in a mass care facility operated by disaster relief groups in conjunction with local authorities.
  
  
• Taking shelter is critical in times of disaster. Sheltering in place is appropriate when conditions require that you seek protection in your home, place of employment, or wherever you are when disaster strikes.

For its part, the ICC has prepared a free downloadable PDF packet with 10 Tips to Remember for Disaster Safety & Mitigation. For details, click the link. Here is a summary:

1. Develop a Family Action Plan.
2. Create a Disaster Supply Kit.
3. Stay tuned to Radio or TV news.
4. Never attempt to cross a flowing stream.
5. In high wind or hurricane-prone areas, make sure windows and shutters are code-compliant.
6. Secure lawn furniture and any loose outdoor items.
7. If you live in an affected area, build or retrofit a tornado-safe room.
8. Use surge protectors in home and offices.
9. In wildfire prone areas, clear debris within 30 feet of the exterior of any structure.
10. Before winter, insulate exposed water pipes outside of buildings.

When it comes to protecting your place of business, particularly if it is located in a high rise, the most important step you can take is to make sure your tenants are prepared. The RJWestmore Training System by Universal Fire/Life Safety Services helps commercial buildings with compliance to fire life safety codes. Our interactive, building-specific e-learning training system motivates and rewards tenants instantly! It’s a convenient and affordable solution to all of the training needs of your building(s).

Founded by the International Code Council (ICC), Building Safety Month (BSM) is celebrated during the month of May. So: Happy Building Safety Month from all of us at RJWestmore Training System by Universal Fire/Life Safety Services!

A public awareness campaign offered each year to help individuals, families and businesses understand what it takes to create and sustain safe and sustainable structures, Building Safety Month was created to reinforce the important need for industry professionals to adopt modern, model building codes, a strong and efficient system of code enforcement and a well-trained, professional workforce.

Building codes are important safeguards designed to protect citizens from avoidable tragedies like fires, weather-related events and structural collapse. Model building codes are arguably the best way to protect homes, offices, and schools, manufacturing facilities, stores and entertainment venues.

Overseeing the introduction and implementation of such codes, the International Code Council is made up of a diverse group of professionals from industries including construction, design and safety. Corporations, government agencies, professional associations and nonprofit organizations support the annual May campaign in order to highlight the need for safe and sustainable structures where each of us live, work and play.

The ICC and its 50,000 worldwide members have made significant advances relative to the safe construction of building homes, apartment buildings, office structures and high rises—making sure that every new building is sustainable, affordable and resilient. This year’s theme is “Building Safety Month: Code Officials Keep You Safe.”

Throughout May, mini-themes will focus on particular areas of importance:

Week One / May 6-12, 2013
Fire Safety and Awareness

Week Two / May 13-19, 2013
Disaster Safety and Mitigation

Week Three / May 20-26, 2013
Backyard and Pool Safety

Week Four / May 27-31, 2013
Energy and Green Building

If you’d like to actively participate in BSM, there are a host of resources at your disposal; courtesy of the ICC. Resources include strategies on how to set up a Building Safety Month event, a fill-in-the-blank press release, a sample proclamation, kid’s activity pages, stickers, brochures, pencils and more. Some resources are available for free download and others may be purchased from the ICC Store.

• Download the campaign toolkit
• Host community outreach events
• Purchase printed campaign materials from the ICC Store
• Secure official proclamations
• Share consumer education tips

Here are some more ideas for active participation in Building Safety Month:

1. Promote Building Safety Month in your community.
2. Promote BSM through your Chapter activities.
3. Set up an information booth at your city hall or a place of business such as a local hardware store.
4. Visit a school and give a presentation about building safety.
5. Post local information on your website.
6. Send a news release to newspapers, and radio and television stations.
7. Encourage local media to cover Building Safety Month activities.
8. Send public service announcements to local radio and television stations.
9. Public information officers, city managers, or mayors could also arrange to appear on a talk/community information show through local television or radio stations.

If you’re about to embark on construction of a new building or home, try to remember that building codes are not arbitrarily established to make your life difficult. They are designed to keep you and everyone who visits your structure safe and sound.

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. The RJWestmore Training System by Universal Fire/Life Safety Services is an interactive, building-specific e-learning training system which motivates and rewards tenants instantly! It’s a convenient and affordable solution to all of the training needs of your building(s). Choosing our service cuts property management training related workloads by 90% and saves you over 50% compared to conventional training! More importantly, IT SAVES LIVES!

Last weekend, 234 died in a fire which broke out in a crowded nightclub in Brazil. The sixth such fire in a decade, the tragedy highlights the importance of business owners and fire safety professionals applying lessons learned from previous mistakes to avoid repeating similar disasters. Fires in China, Russia, Argentina, Thailand and the U.S. should have provided plenty of important fire-safety lessons for club owners in Brazil to apply. Had they studied those fires, they could have avoided the most recent nightclub fire-related tragedy.

Rhode Island: A popular rock band took the stage at a nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island in 2003. The show included dangerous pyrotechnics which set fire to flammable soundproofing foam that lined the walls and ceiling—killing 100 and injuring 200.

Argentina: A December 2004 fire killed 194 people at an overcrowded working-class nightclub in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after a flare ignited ceiling foam.

China: Fireworks shot off at a birthday party at a Latin-style bar and restaurant in China’s Fujian province sparked a fire which claimed 15 lives in January, 2009.

Russia, 2009: Fireworks triggered a blaze at a nightclub in Perm, Russia in December, 2009, killing 156 people. The fire began after an indoor fireworks display ignited a plastic ceiling decorated with branches.

Thailand: A fire swept through a popular nightclub on the Thai island of Phuket killing four people in early August, 2012.

One survivor of the Rhode Island fire, Todd King, reportedly woke up on Sunday morning by a storm of text messages from fellow survivors of the Rhode Island blaze, all asking, “Can you believe this is happening again?”

King is indignant—“I’m surprised nobody has learned.”

Another Rhode Island survivor, Victoria Eagan, observed that several fires since the 2003 tragedy have been caused by indoor pyrotechnics igniting materials in the building in recent years, “We seem doomed to repeat history. I wish (people) could learn.”

Thus far, investigators say the source of the blaze in Brazil was a band’s small pyrotechnics’ show. The fire and toxic smoke created by burning foam sound insulation material on the ceiling engulfed the Brazilian club within seconds.  Authorities said band members who were on the stage confirmed their use of pyrotechnics during the show.

The fact nightclub owners have failed to learn is especially disconcerting because, after the Rhode Island blaze, sweeping changes were made to that state’s fire code, with the intention of preventing similar occurrences in the future. Rhode Island fire stations shared a common goal and battle cry: “Never again!”

As a result of associated fire code changes:

1. Sprinklers are now required in nightclubs and bars with occupancy limits of 100 or more.
2. Nightclub workers must be trained in fire safety.
3. Money was set aside for additional fire safety classes in schools.
4. Pyrotechnics were banned in all but large public venues.
5. Local fire marshals were empowered to order immediate repairs and write tickets for violations.

In an emailed statement, the Station Fire Memorial Foundation, which is building a memorial to those affected by the Rhode Island fire, compared the two tragedies, “One cannot help but notice the similarities between this tragedy and the Station nightclub fire that occurred nearly 10 years ago.”

Don’t be the victim of a fire which could have been prevented through education and/or preparation. The RJWestmore Training System by Universal Fire/Life Safety Services helps commercial buildings with compliance to fire life safety codes. Our interactive, building-specific e-learning training system motivates and rewards tenants instantly! It’s a convenient and affordable solution to all of the training needs of your building(s). Choosing our service cuts property management training related workloads by 90% and saves you over 50% compared to conventional training! More importantly, IT SAVES LIVES!

Part 2 of a 2-Part Series

While it may not be as much to think about holiday safety as it is to go Christmas shopping, it’s imperative that you take time to consider how to make the season as safe as possible. As we discussed in our RJW Training System blog post last week, according to FEMA, the holidays pose serious fire hazards:

1. In December, 72% of structure fires occur in residential buildings.
2. The use of traditional adornments such as Christmas trees and decorations provide additional points of igni­tion that increase the incidence of holiday fires.
3. The leading cause of December residential building-structure fires involve cooking.

To help make holiday fire-prevention easy, the professionals at RJWestmore Training System by Universal Fire/Life Safety Services have assembled a few tips to help you and your friends, family, and colleagues BE SAFE this holiday season. Last week, we covered safety relative to decorating. This week, we will focus on safely lighting fires, holiday wrapping and cooking.

Fires

• Clean your chimney or hire a professional to remove soot and ash.
• Before lighting a fire move greens, boughs, papers, ribbons and other decorations far away from the hearth.
• Open the flue.
• Make sure a screen covers the fireplace anytime a fire is burning.
• Be careful when using fire salts, which produce colored flames when thrown on wood fires. These salts contain heavy metals which could cause intense gastrointestinal irritation or vomiting if eaten. So make sure they are stored well out of reach of children.
• If you decide to roast marshmallows inside, invest in a tabletop Sterno stove made especially for the purpose, instead of roasting over an open gas flame.

Wrapping Paper and Bows

• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials.
• In homes with small children, avoid package decorations that are sharp or breakable.
• Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children.
• Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food. A child could eat them!
• If you opt to make paper decorations, use materials labeled non-combustible or flame-resistant.
• Don’t place wrapping paper, tape or ribbons near open flames or electrical connections.
• Store wrapping paper far from the Christmas tree and fireplace. This is particularly important immediately after unwrapping gifts.
• Resist the temptation to burn used wrapping paper in the fireplace. Colorful paper and cardboard boxes often contain toxic chemicals. What’s more, a flash fire could start if wrappings ignite suddenly and burn intensely.
• Keep anyone who smokes far from flammable decorations.
• Keep matches, lighters, and candles out of the reach of children.

Cooking

Your stovetop and oven are probably busier than usual during the holidays. So, whether you are making potato latkes or baking Santa-shaped cookies, take steps to ensure safety. FEMA recommends “choosing the right equipment and using it properly,” as well as:

• Use cooking equipment tested and approved by a recognized testing facility.
• Follow manufacturers’ instructions and code requirements when installing and operating cooking equipment.
• Plug microwave ovens and other cooking appliances directly into wall outlets. Never use an extension cord for a cooking appliance as it could overload circuitry and start a fire.

Another important holiday cooking reminder is to practice safe food-handling habits to keep every one of your guests healthy and happy:

• When transporting food items from the grocery store to your home, pack cold items in ice if you’ll be on the road longer than 15 minutes.
• Wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before preparing food
• Scrub food-contact surfaces often.
• Use one color sponge for cleaning dishes and another for wiping sinks and surfaces.
• Wash cutting boards, dishes, utensils, knives and counter tops with hot soapy water after each use.
• Don’t cross-contaminate by allowing bacteria to move from one food product to another. This is especially important for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
• Keep raw meats and their juices far from ready-to-eat foods such as uncooked fruits and vegetables.
• Cook foods to proper temperatures. Use a food thermometer, which measures the internal temperature of cooked meat, poultry and egg dishes, to make sure that the food is cooked to a safe internal temperature.
• Refrigerate foods promptly. Public health officials advise consumers to refrigerate foods quickly because cold temperatures keep most harmful bacteria from multiplying. Refrigerators should be set at 40ºF.
• Keep your freezer set at 0ºF. Regularly check the accuracy of the settings with a thermometer.
• For additional food-related safety tips, check out the FEMA Holiday Cooking resources.

Plan for Safety

• Remember, there is no substitute for common sense. Keep your eyes peeled for potential hazards and eliminate possible danger spots near candles, fireplaces, trees, and/or electrical connections.
• Make an emergency plan to use if a fire breaks out anywhere in the home. See to it that each family member knows what to do. PRACTICE THE PLAN!
• Have a wonderful, safe holiday season!

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, check out the RJWestmore Training System by Universal/Fire Life Safety Services. Our new Version 3.0 system offers the best emergency training system on the market.

Part 1 of a 2-Part Series

While it may not be as much to think about holiday safety as it is to go Christmas shopping, it’s imperative that you take time to consider how to make the season as safe as possible. According to FEMA, the holidays pose serious fire hazards:

1. In December, 72% of structure fires occur in residential buildings.
2. The use of traditional adornments such as Christmas trees and decorations provide additional points of igni­tion that increase the incidence of holiday fires.
3. The leading cause of December residential building-structure fires involve cooking.

To help make holiday fire-prevention easy, the professionals at RJWestmore Training System by Universal Fire/Life Safety Services have assembled a few tips to help you and your friends, family and colleagues BE SAFE this holiday season. This week, we will focus on trees and lighting. Check out next week’s post, as well, as we’ll tackle kitchen safety tips relative to holiday cooking and wrapping.

Lights

Outdoors

• Make sure the light strands you select to use outside are approved for outdoor use.
• Only use lights that have been tested and approved for safety. This identification will be labeled by an independent testing laboratory.
• Keep lights far from flammable sources such as dry timber and paper products.
• Fasten lights securely to trees, your house or exterior walls or to anchor strands and prevent wind damage.

Indoors

• As with outdoor lights, use only interior decorating lights that have been tested and approved for safety. Identifications of this kind are made by independent testing laboratories.
• Check light sets whether new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires and loose connections.
• Discard or repair damaged sets. It is better to postpone decorating than deal with the aftermath of a structural fire. So take the time to make sure your lights are fire safe.
• Use no more than three standard-size sets of lights per single extension cord.
• Turn off lights (as well as other decorations) when you go to bed or leave the house. This will prevent lights from shorting out and starting fires.
• Don’t use electric lights on a metallic tree.
• Trees can become charged with electricity from faulty lights. If this happens, anyone who touches a branch of the affected tree runs the risk of electrocution! To avoid this, use colored spotlights above or beside trees instead of fastening large lights directly to a tree.
• Keep “bubbling” lights away from children. Any lights that feature bright colors and bubbling could tempt curious children to break candle-shaped glass. This is dangerous as the glass can cut and the liquid contents contain hazardous chemicals.

Candles

• This should go without saying. But we would rather you BE SAFE than sorry. So we want to make sure to warn against anyone using lighted candles on a tree or near evergreens of any kind.
• Use only non-flammable candle holders.
• Place candles far out of reach of children as well as out of pathways where they could potentially be knocked down or blown over.
• If you are lighting a menorah, make sure the candlelight is far from decorations and wrapping paper. Cellophane packaging and gift bags with tissue paper are great for wrapping. But they are also extremely flammable. So store them far from candles.

Trees

• Fresh trees are green. If someone tries to sell you a tree that is brown, back slowly away and find another lot.
• Fresh needles are difficult to pull off of branches. If needles fall like snow, find another tree.
• Fresh needles are difficult to break. Don’t buy a tree that has brittle needles.
• Many artificial trees are fire resistant. If you buy one, look for a statement specifying this protection.
• The butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin.
• When the trunk of a tree is bounced on the ground, a shower of falling needles shows that tree is too dry.
• Place tree away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources. Heated rooms dry trees rapidly, which could create a fire hazard.
• When preparing your tree to place in a stand, cut off two inches of the trunk to expose fresh wood for effective water absorption.
• Trim extra branches and set the trunk in the base of a sturdy, water-holding stand. Keep the stand filled with water as long as the tree is indoors.
• Place your tree out of the pathway of traffic and don’t block doorways.

Next week, we’ll cover more holiday safety tips. Until then, enjoy holiday preparations and BE SAFE. When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, check out the RJWestmore Training System by Universal/Fire Life Safety Services. Our new Version 3.0 system offers the best emergency training system on the market.

As we wind down October, it’s time to consider safety tips relative to November. Did you know that November is officially the month to “be aware” of each of the following health and safety related concerns?

• Pancreatic Cancer
• COPD
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Diabetes
• Lung Cancer
• Crohn’s Disease & Ulcerative Colitis
• Stomach Cancer
• Epilepsy

Also among this month’s distinctions is the annual Great American Smokeout, to be observed on November 15, this year, which began in 1977 as a social engineering experiment to encourage 45.8 million Americans who smoke to stop. Sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the event challenges people to cease smoking cigarettes for 24 hours, with the hope that the break will lead to permanent cigarette cessation.

The reason the event is particularly significant to those of us at RJWestmore, Inc. is because smoking not only causes serious disease, it also often leads to fires. In fact, FEMA reports that, each year, approximately 1,000 smokers and non-smokers are killed in fires caused by cigarettes and other smoking-related materials.

The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) is working to help prevent fire deaths and injuries in residential and commercial buildings caused by smoking materials. Fires of this kind affect not only the smoker, but non-smokers as well. Did you know that one in four people killed in home fires is not the smoker whose cigarette caused the fire? According to the USFA, 34 percent of fire victims are children of the smokers and 25 percent were neighbors or friends of the smokers.

The most common start of cigarette-related fires occurs when individuals fall asleep while holding a lit cigarette. However, that is not the only way that cigarettes start a blaze. Here are additional ways cigarettes, cigars and pipes can lead to fires:

1. Tossing a cigarette from a moving vehicle. Although some people toss lit cigarettes from their car windows, most try to make sure that the butt has been extinguished. If a cigarette is hot when it is tossed into brush or even dirt, a flame can ignite.
2. Missing the target. Although many states now prohibit smoking inside commercial buildings, to accommodate smokers, some building managers arrange for a designated area just outside of their facility. This is dangerous, as a discarded cigarette could miss the ashtray and ignite the property.
3. Accidental disposal. Distracted smokers can unwittingly toss lit cigarettes into cushions, on rugs or in flammable areas.

The good news is that fires caused by cigarettes and other smoking materials are preventable. You can make a difference! The USFA created The Smoking & Home Fires Campaign to educate people about how to prevent fire deaths and injuries caused by smoking materials. Their key message is: “If you smoke, put it out. All the way. Every time.” Through the use of brochures, community presentations, video and radio public service announcements, posters and more, the campaign encourages smokers to “Butt out.”

Smoking Fire Action Steps

• If you smoke, smoke outside.
• Wherever you smoke, use deep, sturdy ashtrays.
• Make sure cigarettes and ashes are out.
• Be alert!
• Check for cigarette butts.
• Never smoke in a home or office where oxygen is used.
• Post “no smoking” signs on the interior and exterior of your commercial property.
• If you smoke, fire-safe cigarettes are better.

Admittedly, anyone who is at least 18 in the United States has the legal right to smoke. So, if you choose to exercise the right, consider using fire safe cigarettes. Abbreviated “FSC,” these are also known as Lower Ignition Propensity [LIP], Reduced Fire Risk [RFR], self-extinguishing, fire-safe or Reduced Ignition Propensity [RIP] cigarettes, all of which are designed to extinguish more quickly than standard cigarettes when left unattended. To make sure you are buying a fire safe cigarette in the United States, make sure you see the designation of “FSC” above the barcode.

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJWestmore, Inc. Our new Version 3.0 system offers the best emergency training system. To learn more about smoking and fire safety, visit the Smoking & Home Fires Campaign page.

Based on all of the natural and manmade disasters that have been taking place lately, it seems particularly fitting that September is National Preparedness Month. This year marks the ninth annual National Preparedness Month, sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Here is a sampling of significant world events over just the past seven days, in case you aren’t convinced that it is worth your time to prepare for disaster:

Bomb Threats:

USA North Dakota

USA Texas

Cyclones:

Antilles

Newfoundland

Philippines

Earthquakes:

Argentina

China

Costa Rica

Fiji

Greece

Indonesia

Japan

Kyrgyzstan

Papua New Guinea

Philippines

USA Alaska

USA Maine

Venezuela

Fires & Wildfires

Bulgaria

Canada

France

Italy

Siberia

USA California

USA Oklahoma

USA Oregon

USA Washington

USA West Virginia

USA Wyoming

Flash Flood & Landslides:

China

Costa Rica

Fiji

India

Pakistan

Philippines

Thailand

USA California

USA Louisiana

USA Utah

West Africa

Hazardous Materials:

USA New Mexico

Terrorist Attacks:

British Embassy in Sudan

German Embassy in Sudan

US Embassy in Egypt
US Embassy in Libya

US Embassy in Sudan

US Embassy in Tunis

US Embassy in Yemen
Tornadoes:

USA Florida

USA New York

USA Texas

Transportation Incident:

USA Nebraska

Volcanoes:

Guatemala

Indonesia

Japan

Obviously, the above list is far from comprehensive. Disasters of all kinds occur virtually everywhere, every second of every hour of every day. If you would like to check out up-to-the minute disasters, you can download apps for your phone or mobile device, or check out free online resources from the CDC, FEMA and Ready.Gov. To receive free monthly preparedness tips from FEMA, text PREPARE to 43362.  More important than learning about every single disaster is to prepare for any and every kind of disaster.

The RJWestmore Online Training System provides emergency preparedness to tenants of high rise commercial buildings across the country. Online modules such as fire, earthquakes and bomb threats equip building occupants so they know how to quickly and safely respond to virtually any disaster…be it manmade or natural. So, if you own or manage commercial property, you can take advantage of the RJW system and enjoy peace of mind about emergency preparation and recovery for everyone who lives or works in your building.

To make sure you and your family are prepared for disasters; heed the advice of FEMA, whose new campaign is: “Today is the day before. Are you ready for tomorrow?” In other words, we don’t know what type disaster might occur tomorrow. But the best we can do is to prepare for it today. Would you be ready for a disaster? In short:

1. Make sure you are informed about what to do before, during and after a disaster.
2. Make a plan. Prepare, plan and stay informed for emergencies.
3. Build a kit for disasters so you are prepared.
4. Get involved—find opportunities to support community preparedness.
5. Plan to protect your business.

Over the years, we have devoted 169 RJWestmore blog posts to the topic of disaster preparation and emergency management. To celebrate National Preparedness Month, why not read through a few to refresh your memory and motivate you to take action? When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJWestmore, Inc. Our new Version 3.0 system offers the best emergency training system.

The Waldo Canyon Fire has been declared the worst in Colorado state history. With flames raging out of control, at the time of this writing, the fire has destroyed 346 homes in Colorado Springs, killed at least one person and burned an estimated 18,500 acres of land. Meanwhile, the High Park Fire in Fort Collins has charred countless pine forests. Nevertheless, these blazes are small compared to the storied history of U.S. fires which have scorched millions of acres in the 19thand 20^th Centuries:

• In 1825, when the Great Miramichi Fire broke out, it burned 3 million acres in Maine and New Brunswick and killed at least 160 people.
• Two decades later, Oregon’s Great Fire of 1845 blazed for weeks and downed 1.5 million acres of timber.
• The Great Fire of 1910 occurred in Idaho and Montana, as a result of severe winds, small fires and dry forests combining to unleash fiery havoc over a two-day period. The wildfire destroyed some 3 million acres (1.2 million hectares) and took the lives of 86 people. So great was its destruction—in loss of land and human life—that it prompted Congress to begin setting aside money to help the National Forest Service suppress fires.
• The recent California Wildfires in 2003 and 2007 claimed 1,500 lives and 1.3 million acres. Nine people died as a direct result of the fires and 85 others were injured, including at least 61 firefighters. The fires were so pervasive, they were visible from space.

Wildfires break out for a myriad of reasons…arson, overgrown brush, careless campers, welders’ and machinery sparks, fireworks, tossed lit cigarettes, spilled chemicals, improper trash burning…to name a few. Unfortunately, wildfires are incredibly easy to start and extremely difficult to stop. While we at RJWestmore, Inc. usually concentrate blog posts on preparing for disasters and managing emergencies in urban settings and high rise buildings, where most of our clients do business, we consider it worthwhile to advise our members and friends about fire safety away from home and office. After all; our mission is to “Save Lives through Training.” And our motto is: “BE SAFE.” We want you to be safe at home, work or play!

There are lots of great free resources to help citizens prepare for wildfires. Among available materials is a downloadable PDF booklet produced by FEMA called “Wildfires: Are you prepared?” The booklet reminds us to take steps because, intentionally or accidentally, most wildfires are started by people, which is why Smokey the Bear’s mantra is: “Only YOU can prevent wildfires.”

Here is an overview of how you can practice wildfire safety:

• Contact local authorities to obtain information about fire laws in your region.
• Make sure that fire vehicles can get to your home. Clearly mark driveway entrances with your street address.
• Report hazardous conditions that could lead to wildfire.
• Teach children about fire safety.
• Keep matches out of their reach.
• Design and landscape your home with wildfire safety in mind. Select materials and plants that can help contain fire rather than fuel it.
• Use fire-resistant or noncombustible materials on the roof and exterior structure of your dwelling, or treat wood or combustible material used in roofs, siding, decking, or trim with fire-retardant chemicals.
• Create a 30- to 100-foot safety zone around your structure.
• Plan your water needs. For example, is there an outside water source such as a small pond, cistern, well, swimming pool, or hydrant? If not, make sure the garden hose is long enough to reach any area of the property.
• If you’re sure you have time, take steps to protect your home.
• If advised to evacuate, DO SO IMMEDIATELY!
• Post fire emergency telephone numbers.
• Plan several escape routes away from your home—by car and by foot.
• Run fire drills. (Fire drills are not just for schools.)
• For comprehensive planning, take advantage of free information offered by Firewise.org, which is a service of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
• Share fire safety information with your neighbors.
• This is by no means a comprehensive list. For more about wildfire safety and preparation, check out resources provided by NFPA, FEMA, Ready.Gov, the American Red Cross, the CDC and the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IIBHS).

When a disaster of any kind strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJWestmore, Inc. Our new Version 3.0 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. What’s more, the NEW RJWestmore Property Messaging System is included FREE for all RJWestmore Online Training System users. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information.

Would you be prepared to respond to fire in a high rise building?

When fires break out in high rise buildings, the potential for loss of life is high if occupants are untrained and proper fire life safety systems are not utilized. The reasons for this are many, including the fact that fires can burn for extended periods of time before occupants even become aware of the burn. Remember that the smoke and deadly gases from the fire are just as deadly as the fire and are major cause of injury and death during a fire situation.  What’s more, the sheer size of tall structures increases the amount of time it takes for firefighters to reach flames.

In fact, according to the US Fire Administration (USFA), it is not uncommon for 15 minutes to elapse from the start of a fire to the time when first responders reach the blaze. So the best way to manage high-rise fires is to provide training so occupants will immediately know what to do when they hear an alarm, smell smoke or discover a fire.   Remember the best way to prevent fires is to know how to keep it from ever getting started in the first place. Please make sure tenants are prepared long before the first ember appears.

Emergency preparedness and exit strategy knowledge are mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In fact, OSHA mandates that “An employer with 10 or more employees must designate and train employees to assist in a safe and orderly evacuation of other employees.” Additionally, there are local and state laws that require emergency preparedness training.

At RJWestmore, Inc, our motto is “SAVE LIVES THROUGH TRAINING.” So we encourage property owners/managers and their tenant employers to make sure they train their tenants to calmly and quickly respond to emergency situations including high-rise fires. Our interactive, building-specific e-learning training system offers comprehensive fire life safety and other emergency situation preparation. So check it out. In the meantime, here are a few simple fire safety steps you can take to prevent the loss of life and property in high rise fires.

Before the Emergency:

• Don’t lock fire exits or doorways, halls or stairways. Fire doors provide a way out during the fire and slow the spread of fire and smoke. So never prop stairway or other fire doors open.  If your property has locking stairwell egress doors for security reasons, make sure they all automatically unlock upon alarm.
• Familiarize yourself with your building’s evacuation plan. And know your primary and secondary escape routes. Make sure everyone knows what to do if the fire alarm sounds and where their interior and exterior safe refuge areas are located.
• Plan and execute frequent drills so escape plans become second nature. You can use your RJWestmore Online Training System to conduct tabletop drills and virtual evacuation route walks using the “Map View” button on your homepage.
• If you’re in a position of leadership, lead by example.  Participate in all drills, set training deadlines that include recognition for compliance.  Make participation and creating a safety conscious environment part of your everyday life.
• Learn to immediately recognize the sound of your building’s fire alarm and post emergency numbers near telephones.

During the Emergency:

• Remain calm.
• Don’t assume someone else has called the fire department. It is better to over-report than run the risk of failing to contact emergency personnel. After all, early notification is critical.
• Before you try to leave the office or living space, feel the door/door knob with the back of your hand.  If the door/door knob feels warm to the touch, do not attempt to open it. Move to the safest secondary escape route and evacuate. 
• If the doorknob is too hot to handle, stay where you are and wait for rescue.
• Stuff cracks around the door with towels, rags, bedding or tape and cover vents to keep smoke out.
• If you have access to a telephone, call the fire department to explain exactly where you are located. Do this even if you can see can see emergency personnel outside at the scene.
• Wait at a window and signal for help by waving something bright or with a flashlight, etc.  Anything to attract attention.
• As a last life safety resort, if possible in your building, open the window, but do not break it, you may need to close the window if smoke rushes in.
• Once you are sure that emergency responders are aware of your location and need to be rescued, be patient. More Information on high-rise safety.

If the door/door knob DOES NOT feel warm, carefully open it.

• If you do attempt to open the door, brace your body against the door while staying low to the floor and slowly open it just a crack. This is the best method for detecting the presence of smoke or fire.

o   If no smoke appears in hallway or stairwells, follow your building’s evacuation plan and move to your safest predetermined alternate escape route.

o   If the building’s fire alarm is not sounding, pull the nearest one while safely and calmly exiting your floor.

o   If you encounter smoke or flames anywhere as you exit the building, stay low to avoid hot smoke and gasses.  If you cannot evacuate, move as far from the fire as possible (closing as many doors as possible between you and fire) and shelter in place.  Stuff the cracks around doorways and vents to block out smoke.  Call 911 and building management/security to let them know your exact location.  If you are near a window DO NOT BREAK THE WINDOW. Wave something to attract attention.  Breaking a window as a last resort may draw the smoke and fire closer to you.

We SAVE LIVES THROUGH TRAINING—and you can too!

The RJWestmore Training System helps commercial buildings with compliance to fire life safety codes. Our interactive, building-specific e-learning training system motivates and rewards tenants instantly! It’s a convenient and affordable solution to all of the training needs of your building(s).

When a disaster of any kind strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJWestmore, Inc. Our new Version 3.0 e-based training system offers the best emergency training system with automated and integrated features. What’s more, the NEW RJWestmore Property Messaging System is included FREE for all RJWestmore Online Training System users. Visit RJWestmore.com for more information.