Knowing why fires start and what to do if a fire happens is important. This book will cover how fires happen and what to do if your clothing or hair catches on fire, or if the building you are in catches on fire.

The fire triangle represents the three things that, when combined, start a fire. The three sides are a heat source, oxygen, and fuel.

The Fire Triangle

Heat Source

Oxygen

Fuel

Heat Sources

Heat sources are any objects that can produce heat. Some examples of these objects are matches, candles, ovens, and microwaves.

Fuel is any object that has the potential to catch on fire. Some examples of fuels are wood, plastic, clothing, and gasoline.

Fuel

Oxygen

Oxygen is the gas we breathe in. If oxygen is not present, a fire cannot start. An example of this is seen when a candle is lit and a lid is placed on top. The fire uses up all of the oxygen in the jar, and when there is no more oxygen left, the candle goes out.

What do you do if your clothing or hair catches on fire?

If your clothing or hair happens to be on fire there is a five step process. Stop, drop, cover your face, roll, and tell an adult.

The first thing you need to do is stop whatever you are doing so you can safely put the fire out.

Stop

Drop

The next thing you do is safely drop to the ground.

Cover your face

The next thing to do is cover your face to protect your eyes, nose, and mouth from the fire and from anything that could be on the surface you dropped on to.

Roll

The next thing you want to do is roll back and forth. Rolling acts like putting a lid on a candle. When your body is on the ground, the fire uses up the small amount of oxygen and starts to go out as there is no oxygen left.

Tell an Adult

If your clothing or hair was just on fire, it is important to tell an adult because there might still be fire somewhere else and they can help you if you've been hurt.

What to do if the building you are in is on fire?

There are some ways to tell if the building you are in is on fire. One of the first signs is that you might see smoke. If there is enough smoke in a room, a fire detector will go off.

If you see the smoke yourself or hear the fire alarm it is important to stay calm and figure out the safest way to exit the building.