DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION

“FIRE HAZARDS”
Lesson 3

NAME: ________________________________________ SECTION: _______________________

SUBJECT TEACHER: _____________________________ DATE: __________________________

Among types of disasters, perhaps fire is one of the most-feared way

of dying. This is so due to the common belief that people who get killed in
fire incidents die of getting burned, which is not actually the case because
the usual cause of death is of suffocation or oxygen deprivation.

If you happen to be in a situation where fire suddenly break-out,

calmness as well as having the knowledge on what to do, is key to putting-
out the fire.

In this module, you will learn about the elements of fire, the causes
of fire and the precautionary measures avoid fire incidents.

@ google.com @ google.com
Fire Triangle

Causes of fires

Phases of a fire
emergency

LESSONS and COVERAGE

Direction: Define disaster

and explain the different
types of disaster.

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DIRECTION: In this activity, recall everything
you have learned before this lesson. Answer
the first and second column questions –
What I know about fire hazards and what do
you want to know about fire hazards.

MELCs
▪ Recognize elements of the fire triangle in different situations.
▪ Analyze the different causes of fires.
▪ Observe precautionary measures and proper procedures in
addressing a fire incident.
▪ Apply basic response procedures during a fire incident.
▪ Follow fire emergency and evacuation plans.

At the end of the lesson, I can:

❑ Recognize and explain the elements of the fire triangle.
❑ Analyze the different causes of fires.
❑ Observe precautionary measures and proper procedures in
addressing a fire incident.
❑ Apply basic response procedures during a fire incident.
❑ Follow fire emergency and evacuation plans.

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 10 minutes

DIRECTIONS: In the table below, list all the positive qualities (PROs) and negative
qualities (CONs) of fire.

PROs CONs

THE ELEMENTS OF
FIRE TRIANGLE
Fire has both negative and positive effects, and our goal in DRRR is to minimize its
negative effects. Ancient Greeks considered fire as one of their major elements like
water, earth, and air. Unlike water, earth and air, fire is known to be just an event that
happened when matter changes from one form to another.
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the exothermal chemical process of
combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. The fire triangle is an
illustration to help us understand the three important elements needed to start and
sustain fire. Right amount of these elements will let fire occur naturally.

1. Fuel is any material that can be burned such as

@ google.com
solid, liquid, or gas. Combustion takes place
when fuel is converted into gaseous state as
moisture is removed. This happens when vapor is
escaping from any combustible material.

2. Heat is an energy that flows through object.

Enough amount of heat would free the vapor
from solid and liquid forms of fuel. The lowest
temperature needed to form an ignitable mixture
in air near the surface of the liquid is called the
flash point. The higher the flashpoint, the more
difficult it is to ignite the material. The ignition of
fire to solid and liquid fuels varies. Most solid combustible materials ignite immediately.
Other solid combustible materials take time to ignite due to its density.

3. Oxygen is an element, estimated 21% of it can be found in the air. During combustion
process chemical reaction takes place. Oxygen is released and serves as an oxidizing
agent for combustible materials. Without an oxidizing agent like oxygen there will be
no fire even if heat and fuel are present.

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 The theory of fire extinguishment is based on removing any of the elements in the
fire triangle to suppress the fire.

1. REMOVING THE HEAT. The goal here is to lower the temperature which is usually
accomplished by adding water as an extinguishing agent. Other extinguishing
agents include chemical and mechanical foams.

2. REMOVING THE FUEL. In most cases, removing the fuel from the fire is not a
practical way of extinguishing fire except when dealing with flammable liquid
fires, valves can be shut off and storage vessels pumped to safe areas to help
eliminate the supply of fuel to the fire.

3. REMOVE THE OXYGEN. Air is mainly 21% oxygen, and this is sufficient to support
combustion in most fire situations. Removal of the air or oxygen can be
accomplished by separating it from the fuel source or by displacing it with other
gases like carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and steam. Examples of separation would be
foam on a flammable liquid fire, a wet blanket on a trash fire, or a tight-fitting lid
on a skillet fire. Foam does not only lower temperature but also remove oxygen.

ACTIVITY NO. 3 20 minutes

Directions: Complete the given table by comparing the two images below.

@ google.com @ google.com

Picture A Picture B

Point of Comparison Picture A Picture B

a. Presence of
ingredients of fire

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 b. Ability to give-off
more fire

c. Progression of fire
through different
stages in both
residential areas

d. Easy access for

responding fire
fighters

CAUSES OF
FIRE
Fire incidents can be caused by natural phenomena or man-made incidents.
Natural phenomena such as lightning that strikes any combustible material and even
volcanic activities could cause fire. While man-made causes of fire are those products
of human errors or machine failures.

I. Natural causes of fire

A. Lightning that strikes any combustible

material which can set trees on fire that
might eventually result to forest fire or
wildfire. This is the most common natural
cause of fire.

B. Volcanic activities could also cause fire.

During volcanic activity, it spews hot gases, @ google.com
ash, and lava and when these hot
materials get in contact with flammable
materials it might start a wildfire.

C. Spontaneous combustion is another natural

cause of fire. This happens when a
hydrocarbon substance unexpectedly
create fire without apparent cause.
Pyrophoric substances ignite @ google.com
spontaneously in air at or below 54˚C or
within 5 minutes after getting into contact with air. Examples of pyrophoric
substances are iron sulfide, plutonium, and uranium.

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 Sometimes, it is also due to combustion of dry fuel such as sawdust, dried
leaves, and grasses. Spontaneous combustion can arise in the presence of
substances with low ignition temperature (requires a not too high temperature to
be ignited) like hay, straw, and other types of grasses. When these dried grasses
stacked together, it releases heat and in the presence of oxygen and moisture or
even bacterial fermentation will spontaneously produce fire.

II. Human-made causes of fire

Human-made causes of fire are those products of human errors or machine

failures. Housefire is a fire incident that is generally caused by human and machine
error. The following are common causes of housefire:

A. Cooking equipment. Pots and pans can be overheated when a person gets
distracted while cooking or leaves cooking unattended. This is the most common
cause of housefire.

B. Heaters. Portable heaters can cause fire when it is placed near objects that can
easily burn like curtains and laundry clothes.

C. Smoking in bedrooms. A cigarette that is not put out properly can cause fire as
the cigarette butts can continuously burn in a few hours. It can also immediately
cause fire when get in contact with flammable materials.

D. Candles. It is not actually a hazard but when left unattended it can easily burst
into flames and cause fire.

E. Curious children. Kids can sometimes cause fire out of curiosity, so they wanted
to see what would happen if they set fire to an object.

F. Faulty wiring. Homes with insufficient wiring can cause fires from electrical hazard.
Signs that you can observe if you have faulty wirings are: lights dim if you use
another appliance; for an appliance to work, you have to disconnect another;
and fuse blow or trip the circuit breaker frequently.

G. Barbeques. This is a great outdoor activity or one of the famous street foods in the
Philippines. Avoid doing this activity near tablecloths, trees or even plants.

H. Flammable liquids. Petrol, kerosene, or other methylated substances are the most
common flammable liquids found at home that can cause fire if not properly
stored. Always store in cool, dry place.

I. Lighting. Lamp shades and light fittings can build heat if they are very close to
light bulbs. Too much heat can eventually ignite the materials and result to fire
incident.

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 ACTIVITY NO. 4 10 minutes

DIRECTIONS: Identify the following scenario whether the cause of fire is Natural, or
Human caused. Write N for natural and H for human caused.

1. Burning tree because it is struck by lightning.

2. Dried grass burned due to cigarette butt.
3. Leakage of LPG that might lead to explosion.
4. Charging of phones on top of the bed.
5. Forest fire due to absence of rain during El Niño Phenomenon.
6. Unattended grilling of chicken
7. Overheated car engine.
8. Farmland burned due to pyroclastic flow of volcanic rocks.
9. Burning candles left on top of the bookshelves.
10. Children playing with a lighter that they found on top of the coffee table.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AND PROPER

PROCEDURES IN ADDRESSING A FIRE INCIDENT
There is a saying that “It is better to be robbed than to lose all your belongings or
assets because of fire incident.” To prevent this from happening, you should know the
main cause of fire and fire hazards and to learn how to deal with it.

POSSIBLE CAUSE OF FIRE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PREVENT FIRE

Things to do to prevent cooking fire:
• Do not leave your cooking unattended.
• Keep handles of pots and pans turned in.
• Do not put anything that catches fire near
your stove or burner.

1. Cooking Safety Things to do to control cooking fire:

• Cover the fire by placing a lid over the pan.
• Turn off the burner or stove.
• In case of oven fire, turn off the heat and
keep the door closed.
• In case of microwave fire, unplug the power
source and keep the door closed.
• Do not smoke in bed or anywhere that you
might fall asleep.
• If you smoke, do it outside.
• Do not discard cigarettes in potted plants,
landscaping vegetation or bark dust – they
can easily catch fire.
2. Cigarettes
• Use a deep, sturdy ashtray or a non-
combustible container that cannot be tipped
over.
• Before throwing away butts or ashes, douse in
water or sand.
• Never smoke in a home where oxygen is used.

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 • Avoid overloading outlets. One outlet is to one
high-wattage appliance at a time.
• Do not use an extension cord with a major
appliance like television, air conditioner and
refrigerator. Plug it in a major power outlet.
• In case a fuse blows, or a circuit breaker trips
often, light became dim, or outlets or switches
became heated, call a qualified electrician to
inspect and fix the problem.
3. Electrical Safety
• Before using a lamp bulb check the box or
label first; the wattage of the bulb should
match the recommendation set by the lamp
manufacturer.
• Do not place extension cords under carpets or
mattresses because it will heat up and cause
fire.
• Do regular checking of electrical cords and
replace immediately if damaged.
• Use candle holders that are stable to prevent
the candle from falling into the floor or near
something that is flammable or easily burn.
• Keep candles at least 12 inches away from
anything that can burn.
4. Candle Safety
• Blow out candles when you leave the room or
go to bed; avoid the use of candles in rooms
where people may fall asleep.
• Never burn a candle if medical oxygen or any
flammable substance is nearby.

There are different types

of fire and should be
controlled differently when
trying to extinguish. Some
chemicals that can extinguish
one type of fire can cause
violent reaction when used
with other types. One good
example is, when fire is
caused by faulty electrical
wirings, water and foam
could create some explosions
or can increase the intensity
of fire. The table shows the
classification of fire and their @ google.com
respective sources and symbols.

Before using a fire extinguisher, examine the label first to determine whether it
can be used to the class of fire you are dealing with.

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Types of Fire Extinguisher

@ google.com

ACTIVITY NO. 5 20 minutes

DIRECTIONS: Fire Safety Checklist. Tour around your house and take note of the things
that you think are necessary to be considered as fire hazard or not. Then fill up the table
provided. If compliant put check on “yes”, if non-compliant put check on “no” and
explain what can be done to remedy the problem.

Observation Yes No What can be done?

Do family members know what to do
in the event of fire?
Do the family members have an
escape plan?
Do you have suitable facility for
storage of flammable materials?
Are all sources of heat like electric
heaters switched off when not in use?
Are wastes removed regularly and
stored away from your house?
Are escape route visible and
with signs?
Are all paths, stairs, and emergency
route free of obstructions?
Do your doors can be opened
outward?
Did you designate a family meeting
place in case of fire event?
Do all family members know about
the meeting place?

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 RESPONSE PROCEDURE
DURING A FIRE INCIDENT
Fire Safety Precautions

Good fire safety practice that you should follow includes:

1. Keeping your workplace tidy and having a good standard of housekeeping.

2. Regularly removing combustible waste, including accumulations of dust.
3. Keeping ignition sources away from combustible material or flammable liquids
and gases.
4. Keeping use of flammable liquids to a minimum and closing containers when not
in use.

What SHOULD you do during a fire incident?

1. Check the door.

Check if there is smoke coming from under the door or if the door is hot to
touch. If the door is cool to touch, open it slowly and pass. If not, keep it closed
and stay in the room. Place wet towels on the gaps to prevent fire and smoke
from coming in. Have someone pop out of a window and wave something bright,
like a flashlight or a brightly colored cloth, to signal for help. Once out of the room,
use your building’s emergency exit and evacuate immediately without panic.

2. P.A.S.S.

To use a fire extinguisher, first Pull the pin in the handle. Aim the nozzle at the
base of the fire. Squeeze the lever slowly and Sweep from side to side. Use a fire
extinguisher if and only if it is within reach, and only to put out small fires. If the fire
is big, leave!

3. Stay low

Crawl and cover your nose and mouth. Smoke is toxic and inhaling large
amounts can render you unconscious. Once you are outside, call the fire
department. Do not attempt to go back to the burning building.

4. Stop, Drop, and Roll

If your clothes caught fire, do not panic, or touch the flame as it could only
spread the fire. Stop moving, drop on the ground, and Roll around until the fire is
put out. Doing this will lessen injuries and put out the fire as quickly as possible.

5. Emergency Hotlines

Nothing is better than being prepared. Before fire happens, be aware of

the fire exits in your building and homes. Make sure you know the emergency
numbers for your town or city.

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What should you NOT do during a Fire Incident?

1. Pop upstairs to retrieve heirlooms, passports, and pets.

Fire can spread very quickly blocking your escape route. Keep that sort of
stuff on the ground floor.

2. Open doors that have smoke flowing from the joints.

Opening the door will add oxygen that will fuel the fire and cause a fireball
that could take you off your feet for good. A contained fire may burn out for lack
of oxygen.

3. Throw water on a chip pan fire.

We all know that water does not mix with oil. The burning oil will explode
spreading the fire and engulfing you in the process. If you are going to throw
anything make it a purpose made fire blanket or use a class F extinguisher.

4. Try and escape using an elevator.

The electric circuits are often the first to blow. Being trapped in an elevator
in a fire could roast you alive. Always use the stairwells.

5. Jump from an upstairs window.

The fall could kill you. Use blankets as a rope and throw mattresses out to
cushion the landing or better still use a purpose made escape ladder.

6. Hide in a cupboard or under the bed.

Hard enough for the fire service without having to play hide and seek and
it will not save you from the smoke and heat.

7. Delay calling the Fire and Rescue Services.

Do not dilly dally. Make them your first call to action. Seconds save lives.

EVACUATION PLANS

Evacuation plans allow us to know where to go exactly after leaving the school
building or a house that is on fire. It lets all concerned people to know where they should
be when evacuation happens.
@ google.com

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How to Create a Fire Evacuation Plan for your Household

• Plan for everyone.

In planning a fire evacuation plan, one must consider the special needs of
all persons concerned. Adults must assign someone to help the young children
and the elderly.

• Find two ways out.

Make sure that your house has two ways out. Household elders must ensure
that all passages in going in and out of the house are free from obstructions. These
passages must be known to all household members.

• Involve children in planning.

Draw a map of the home and mark the entrance and exit routes. The
drawn family escape plan must be explained well to the children. Children must
be taught of the family’s meeting place outside of the house during fire
emergency.

Choose a place that is visible to people and is accessible to fire emergency

responders. Adults must also explain to the children that they are NOT allowed to
go back of the house after they leave during an emergency. Respond quickly.
Make sure everyone knows that if the smoke alarm sounds, he or she needs to
get out immediately.

• Have a backup plan.

There must be back up plan for the installed fire evacuation plan of the
family. It must be explained that in cases where family members are trapped in
the house, they can do any of the suggested ways below:

1. Place a towel under the door and go to an exterior-facing window.

2. Call the fire authorities to report your location.

• Share with everyone.

Explain your fire evacuation plan to all family members. It must also be
known to your guests or visitors especially those who will stay overnight in your
house.

• Practice regularly.

Conduct regular family fire drills and review your fire evacuation plan as
the need arises.

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 ACTIVITY NO. 6 30 minutes

DIRECTIONS: Draw your household fire evacuation map. Make sure to include all the
important details on the map.

Stewardship: It is everyone’s responsibility to take care of the

environment as well as the community. Through being
respect for the beauty
and goodness of environmentally aware we can achieve successful disaster
creation as a mitigation.
sacrament of God

How can you take care of the environment and reduce the risk of fire?

___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________

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Now let us go back to Activity No. 1 a while
ago, you were tasked to fill out columns 1
and 2. Now, without reading your answers
in those columns, answer the third column.

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REFERENCES:
Lanada, M. B., Melegrito, L. F., & Mendoza, D. I. (2016). Building Resilient Communities.
Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.

Rimando, R. E., & Belen, J. G. (2016). Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction (1 ed.).
Quezon City, Philippines: Rex Bookstore.

Oliva, M. (2016). Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction. Makati, Philippines: DIWA
Learning Systems Inc

Fire Evacuation Plan. Google, Retrieved from

https://www.google.com/search?q=what+is+fire+emergency+plan&tbm=isch&hl=en
&chips=q:what+is+fire+emergency+plan,online_chips:fire+escape+plan&hl=en&ved=
2a

“Fire and Emergency Plans”, Concept Draw, 2000, Retrieved from

https://www.conceptdraw.com/solution-park/building-fire-emergency-plans

“Following Fire Emergency and Evacuation Plans”, Teach Together, CHED,

http://teachtogether.chedk12.com/teaching_guides/view/312

Traveler’s Risk Control, How to Create a Fire Evacuation Plan, 2020, Retrieved from
https://www.travelers.com/resources/home/fire-safety/how-to-create-a-fire-
evacuation-plan

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