Fire Prevention Essay, Research Paper

Outline Specific Purpose: To inform my audience that fire prevention is simple, and not time consuming. Central Idea: Fire destroys many homes and live, but if one takes a few simple steps, prevention and survival of a fire can be done. Introduction I. Have you ever been woke up by a fire truck screaming down your street? A. Fire is an untrustworthy ally B. I?m here to tell you about what fire has done recently to destroy homes and lives and inform you of a few simple steps that can prevent a fire from happening to you. Body I. The U.S. has one of the highs fire death rates in the industrialized world. A. In 1997, for ever million in population, 15.2 people died in fires B. Between 1993 and 1997 1. 4,500 Americans lost their lives and an additional 26,500 were injured as a result of fire. 2. About 100 firefighters were killed in duty-related incidents. 3. Each year, fire kills more Americans than all natural disasters combined. 4. About 2 million fires are reported each year, many more go unreported. 5. Estimated direct property loss is $8.5 billion annually. C. Residential fires represent 23% of all fires. 1. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. 2. Careless smoking is the leading cause of fire deaths, followed by heating failure, and arson. (transition: We all know the destructive force of what a fire can do, and I?ve only mentioned a few. Simple careless mistakes can start a fire, but its even easier to prevent a fire) II. Here are a few helpful hints A. If you have electric space heaters 1 Don?t use an extension cord on space heaters 2. Unplug heaters when they are not being used 3. Keep heaters away from furniture and curtains. 4. Don?t dry your clothes, gloves, or other items on a space heater. B. When thinking about electrical wiring 1. replace worn cords 2. don?t run cords under rugs 3. don?t overload outlets C. Smoke Alarms!!! 1. Check once a month 2. Change batteries twice a year (Transition: In the event of a fire, having a properly planned escape procedure can be the difference between life and death) III. Time is the biggest enemy A. Every second counts B. In less than 30 seconds a small flame can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire. C. Practice escaping from every room in the house. D. The best escape plans have two ways out. E. Introduce Visual Aid 1. Its a good idea to draw a diagram of your house 2. I?m using an example of my parents home 3. Label all the exits 4. Label every room and make sure all exits are accounted for 5. Good way to keep whole family involved. (Transition: When a fire occurs don?t waste time saving property) IV. Take the safest exit route A. If smoke is visible remember to crawl low with your mouth covered. B. Never open doors hot to touch 1. Check with back of hand, if hot use second route. 2. Even if cool, be cautious C. Have a meeting place away from the home and have a safe distance 1. That way nobody gets injured looking for someone who is safe D. ONCE OUT STAY OUT!!!! Conclusion I. While what I?ve said is very simple, it could be the difference in keeping your home and family safe from fire.

Bibliography

da