Fire Blankets – Suppress Fire Fast

Fire Blankets are ideal for suppressing a real and immediate threat of fire. Blankets are perfect for a kitchen environment where there is the constant risk of (Class F) oil or fat ignition. Fire Blankets are effective because they reduce the supply of oxygen to a fire. With rapid activation a blanket can smother the flames entirely. Similarly, activating a blanket can also reduce the threat of flames until other fire suppressing equipment can be activated.

Open the blanket and hold it in front of you to protect your body, hands and face from the fire. Completely cover the burning material, ensuring there are no gaps for oxygen to reach the fire. If possible, turn off any gas or other fuel supply involved in the fire, and contact the Fire and Rescue Service if you have not done so already. Leave the blanket in place for at least 30 minutes to allow the oil or fat to cool.

It is important that you always read the instructions for your blanket before use. Fire Blankets are single use only items and not designed for re-use! It is essential that you dispose of your used blanket.

How do Blankets work?

Fire Blankets are made of two layers. Firstly, a woven fibreglass fabric and secondly, an inner layer of fire retardant film. Their basic principle is to cut off oxygen supply; which is one of the three elements on which a fire thrives, therefore extinguishing the fire. In order to stifle a fire, one has to place the blanket over its top correctly. Only when the blanket is placed completely over the fire, can the fire be extinguished. The blanket cuts of the oxygen supply to the fire, extinguishing it. In case of a large fire; do not attempt to put it out, instead call the Emergency Services for help. Fire blankets can also be wrapped around your body while exiting a building which is on fire. It provides you protection against the flames from touching your body.

Benefits

Apart from the obvious reasons; that is, putting out fires, fire blankets have many other uses as well. There can be many situations in your life where these may turn out to be lifesavers. Listed below are some reasons why you should invest in them:

• Very easy to use. Require no formal training for use.
• Can be used to put out fires involving people. This is not possible through fire extinguishers.
• One of the greatest advantages of blankets is that by wrapping it around your body, you are more likely to escape injury from a fire.
• Used to put out small household fires quickly. They also prevent the fire from spreading in its initial stage only.
• They are always ready to use and a sure shot option as compared to fire extinguishers which may or may not work.
• People can easily use it on themselves to put off a fire.
• They are very affordable, inexpensive, and easy to store.

Torvac supplies a range of sizes and varieties of fire blankets that comply with Australian Standard AS/NZS 3504:2006. We can also help you to determine where the best places are to position blankets throughout your building.

Talk to a Torvac Solutions Fire Protection Specialist about how Fire Blankets combined with a Kitchen Fire Suppression System can improve workplace safety in commercial kitchens.