Whether a fire happens in your home or in the wild, it can be very dangerous. Fire spreads quickly. There is no time to gather valuables or make a phone call. In just two minutes, a fire can become life-threatening. In five minutes, a home can be engulfed in flames.
Heat and smoke from fire can be more dangerous than the flames. Inhaling the super-hot air can burn your lungs. Fire produces poisonous gases that make you disoriented and drowsy. Instead of being awakened by a fire, you may fall into a deeper sleep. You can suffocate or be burned.
Preventing fires is an important part of fire safety. Although there are no guarantees of safety during a fire, you can take actions to protect yourself. You should have a disaster plan. Being prepared can help reduce fear, anxiety and losses.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
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Learn About Fire: The Nature of Fire(United States Fire Administration) - http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/all_citizens/about_fire.shtm
Also available in Spanish http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/espanol/fswy6-sp.pdf
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After a Fire(United States Fire Administration) - http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/all_citizens/atf/
Also available in Spanish https://www.usfa.dhs.gov/espanol/afterafire/index.shtm
- Fires(American Red Cross) - http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=4d411b655eb3b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
- What to Do During a Fire(Federal Emergency Management Agency) - http://www.fema.gov/hazard/fire/fire_during.shtm
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Summer Storm Fire Safety(United States Fire Administration) - https://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/all_citizens/home_fire_prev/holiday-seasonal/summer_storms.shtm
Also available in Spanish https://www.usfa.dhs.gov/espanol/homefireprevention/seasonal-storms.shtm
- Wildfire(Federal Emergency Management Agency) - http://www.fema.gov/hazard/wildfire/index.shtm
- Forest Fire Smoke(Environmental Protection Agency) - http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=smoke.smokecover
- Forest Fires and Respiratory Health(American Lung Association) - http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=36064
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Wildfires(Healthy Roads Media) - http://www.healthyroadsmedia.org/english/Files/flv/engwildfires.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.healthyroadsmedia.org/spanish/Files/flv/spawildfires.htm
- Article: Fire safety for maintenance operations. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19209558&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Predicting performance on a firefighter's ability test from fitness parameters. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19177948&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Underground coal mining disasters and fatalities--United States, 1900-2006. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19116608&tool=MedlinePlus
- Fires -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(fires[mh:noexp]+OR+smoke+inhalation+injury[mh])+AND+disasters[mh]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+2+Years&tool=MedlinePlus
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American Red Cross - http://www.redcross.org/
Also available in Spanish http://www.cruzrojaamericana.org/
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Federal Emergency Management Agency - http://www.fema.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://www.fema.gov/spanish/index_spa.shtm
- United States Fire Administration - https://www.usfa.dhs.gov/
- Fire Information - Wildland Fire Statistics(National Interagency Fire Center) - http://www.nifc.gov/fire_info/fire_stats.htm
- Coping with Disasters - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/copingwithdisasters.html
- Disaster Preparation and Recovery - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/disasterpreparationandrecovery.html
- Fire Safety - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/firesafety.html
- Disasters - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/disasters.html
Fires - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/fires.html