Fire Blanket Use
The purpose of this article is to provide information relating to domestic fire blankets as a fire safety measure.
What is a fire blanket?
A fire blanket consists of a piece of fire-resistant fabric (usually woven glass fibre) that can be used to smother a small fire or wrap around a person whose clothing is alight.
Where to store a fire blanket?
To be useful, a fire blanket should be easily and quickly available. Fire blankets are often installed in kitchen areas where small cooking fires may occur. Do not place them near the stove as a stove top fire may stop you getting to it. Instead, place the fire blanket near the door way to the kitchen. This will mean you can still leave if the fire escalates.
◾ In the kitchen: Oven, hob, this is the most common place of fire starts ...
◾ In the garden: Near the barbecue or a campfire, a spark is enough ...
◾ In the car: In case of road accident or faulty circuit, you can react or protect yourself.
When to use a fire blanket?
A fire blanket is ideal for extinguishing cooking fat fires and can be used to wrap around people if their clothes catch on fire.
Fire blankets can be used to extinguish small fires in the home, caravan, car, boat or garage. They can also be used to wrap around a person whose clothes have caught alight.
It is best to store fire blankets in or adjacent to a kitchen but not too close to a potential hazard for example above a stove.
Constructed of fibreglass, fire blankets can withstand temperatures up to 500 Celsius are compact and portable and easily stored. The blankets are packaged in a high quality, quick-release PVC container.
Fire blankets come in a range of sizes and can be purchased from our store.
DFES recommends fire blankets should only be used once and then replaced after use.
How to use a fire blanket?
- For a substance in flames :
1. Pull tape down until blanket is released
2. Open blanket fully and gently place over flames
3. Turn off power supply. Leave blanket over fire
- For person in flames :
1. Pull tape down until blanket is released
2. Open blanket fully and wrap around person to seal from air
3. Seek medical assistance
