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by Ed Schirick
It
only takes one horror story about a fire at camp to be reminded how important
it is to develop and maintain a comprehensive fire safety and prevention
program for your camp. The camp property fire risk is unique because
most buildings are older, built of frame construction, used only seasonally,
and in rural, unprotected locations. Because of these factors, when a
fire starts in a camp building, the result is usually total destruction.
This definitely makes fire prevention and safety a top priority.
Now is the time to review and revise your fire prevention, safety, and
emergency action plans before next summer. The following information
will help you identify and list fire hazards applicable to your camp
and program.
Extinguish Kitchen Fire Risks
The fire risk in the camp dining hall is very high. Be sure all fire
prevention and protection equipment and material is properly installed.
Also, make sure all cooking equipment is properly installed, meets manufacturer
specifications, and complies with the National Fire Protection Association
standards (NFPA pamphlet 96, "Ventilation Control and Fire Protection
of Commercial Cooking Operations," applies). Improper installation of
cooking equipment increases your risk of fire, especially where ventilating
hoods and ducts pass through frame walls and ceilings. Commercial ventilating
hoods must be located over all cooking surfaces and protected by a heat-activated,
dry-chemical extinguishing system. Check grease filters in the ventilating
hoods to confirm they are the right size and are properly in place. Never
cook without the grease filters in place.
Seek professional fire safety advice
Occasionally, a camp will not have a complete hood, duct, and dry chemical
extinguishing system in place to reduce the risk of fire from cooking. If
your camp does not have such a system in place, install one before the summer.
If you have an older installation, you may want to have a professional fire
safety contractor examine it to ensure it is still providing the intended
protection against the risk of fire. Although caretakers may save money and
be convenient and volunteers may have some knowledge and are well-intentioned,
you should pay for the expertise of a specialist when it comes to older wiring
and equipment.
Identify High-Risk Buildings
Arts and crafts buildings also pose higher fire risks, especially if
a kiln is used for pottery work. Other buildings at high risk for fire
include garages, maintenance shops, photography labs, printing shops,
woodworking shops, any building with an operational fireplace, any winterized
building using a fireplace insert or stove for heating, buildings housing
chemicals, and any building where smoking is permitted.
The maintenance shop has additional hazards that add to the risk of
fire if welding and cutting operations are performed there. The floor
should be made of or covered with fire-resistant material, and a fire
extinguisher of the proper type should be kept close at hand.
Use an Electrician
Fire hazards may include improper installation of fire protection devices
and worn, overloaded, or improperly installed electrical wiring. The
best advice is to use a licensed electrician to inspect and prepare your
current electrical service before camp opens each summer. If your budget
allows, have the electrical system checked every other year by a licensed
electrician. It is good risk management and worth the money.
Unplugging for safety
Check outlets and eliminate overloading of plugs in receptacles. If you don't
have enough outlets, have a licensed electrician add them instead of using
spider plugs and extension cords. Unplug electrical appliances after you
are finished using them, especially in kitchens. If you are prone to "brown
outs" because of high demand for electricity in the summer, unplug appliances
to help reduce the risk of fire from power surges in the lines as demand
decreases. The practice of unplugging appliances may also help reduce damage
to them in the event of lightning strikes to transformers serving camp. High-quality
surge protection is also important for computers, fax machines, and other
sensitive electronic equipment.
Following ground rules
All outlets should be properly grounded. Ground fault interruption features
are essential for certain outlets, such as those running appliances using
water located near water sources or outside of buildings. This is a critical
employee safety issue. All local building codes and the National Electrical
Code (NFPA Pamphlet 70) should be followed when making any modifications
to your camp's electrical wiring.
Store Chemicals Properly
Certain pesticides and other chemicals used in film developing, printing,
and disinfection in the kitchen or in the pool require special handling
and storage. Employees should be notified about the type of chemicals
they are exposed to in the workplace. A Material Data Safety Sheet (MDSS)
should accompany each chemical sold to you at camp. The sheet must be
kept on file in a central location. Another copy must be made available
to employees at the location where the chemical is used. The concern
is not only for the employee's safety and knowledge about what to do
if exposed, but also to ensure that chemicals are handled and stored
separately, away from anything that could cause a fire or explosion,
such as air, water, heat, or other chemicals.
Garages, maintenance shops, and woodworking shops are at high risk for
damage by fire because of improper storage of flammables. Flammables,
such as paint, shellac, varnish, wood stain, gasoline, kerosene, turpentine,
and similar liquids, should be:
- stored in approved, airtight metal containers.
- kept only in needed quantities.
- used in adequately ventilated areas.
- stored away from heat and fire; smoking should not be permitted near
flammables.
Only non-sparking tools should be used near flammable liquids. Metal
storage lockers for flammable liquids can be purchased fairly reasonably
and are well worth the money. If you don't have a metal storage locker
for flammable liquids, add one to your shopping list for next summer.
Keep Camp Tidy
Keeping maintenance areas, workshops, kitchen storage areas, and other
places in camp neat and clean reduces the risk of fire. Rags soiled with
flammable liquids that are left on the floor may ignite through spontaneous
combustion under the right circumstances. Boxes, paper, and other combustible
material may catch on fire if left too close to pumps, motors, and other
electrical and heat producing appliances and equipment.
Recognize Other Fire Hazards
There are other fire hazards, such as a forest fire caused by a lightning
strike, campfires, campers with matches, portable cooking stoves, and
arson. Can you think of other fire hazards unique to your program or
location? What methods and practices can you devise to reduce the hazards
or eliminate them? Take some time to consider potential fire hazards.
Prepare your list of hazards, propose solutions to reduce them, and add
the list to your risk-management plan.
Look for Part II of "Fire Prevention and Safety at Camp" in the next
issue. The article will focus on employee fire safety issues, suggestions
on how to assign responsibility for reducing fire hazards, and the elements
of an Emergency Action Plan.
The National Fire Protection Association is dedicated to fire prevention
and safety. Pamphlets mentioned in this article, and others that address
fire safety standards, are available for purchase. Call NFPA at 800-344-3555,
or visit their Web site: www.nfpa.org
Originally published in the 1998 November/December
issue of Camping Magazine. |
