The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-07-22
N The CASE Of FIRE.
SenDs Ways In Which Il Ma,
Happen and Hints on Actien
When II Does.


conhasratiens at Night and the
Best Methods Of Escape From
Burning Buildings
Attics and closets are the breeding
places Of many fires, according to Good
Housekeeping. An attic IL generally
the asylum for all sorts OF inflammabls
material. and a. It never Is properly
ventilated It becomes q IRE Incubator
when the summer sun strikes the roof.
Among the odds and ends that make
up the conteAts Of the average attic
are old vanished furniture, dry as tin
der; rags. many Of them greasy and
ripe for spontaneous combustion;
painting oils, liable to take flre when
the sun beats on the roof: broken toys
and old clothes, the pockets Of which
may contain matches Attics and gar
rets often have q temperature Of liz
degrees Fahrenheit, which Is the igni
ttOn point for matches.
Floor sweepdngs under furniture or
In closet are liable to take fire spon-
taneously or from flying match head.
Sawdust used In sweeping floors, II
left in corner where there is no cur
rent OF air to carry OF the heat It gem
crates. is very likely to become hot
onauoh - 3uu3$> 1}ea1P Nronc~ nu~~
alls kept In tight wardrobe have
been known to ignite. The most dan
gerous closet Il that under stairway,
because infiammable materials may
hide there, and II fire starts In 1t the
best avenue of escape from upper sto-
ries is cut OF. Furnace ashes in the
cellar have in them so much fine coal
and litter that they are liable to spon-
taneous combustion If an open window
permits them to get wet by q rain
storm. The fine coal from the winters
supply may ignite II wet Playing with
fire and matches by children Is a pro
life source OF fires in residences.
How to Extinguish Flames.
Ones ability to extinguish a start
Ing fire depends upon intelligence and
sels-control. II the blaze Is just start
ing throw water on the burning mate
rial, not on the blaze. One bucket Of
water will do more good II thrown on
by handfuls or with q broom than
dashed on at once. A small IRE may
be smothered with q rug or blanket,
or beaten out with q wet broom.
II you cannot put out the IRE in :
minute then give an alarm at once.
Do not leave door open when ron run
out to give an alarm. II the doors and
windows arc closed when : nr0 starts
you n.-S ~ ahla ia get the flremen
there In time to put Il our wn1r0rU
in only ono room. The fire soon CON
sumes all the oxygen In q closed room
and may die out II It gets no fresh air.
After the flremen are called work at
getting out the things you want most
to save. Don't throw the clock from
the window and then carry out your
clothing, as some persons have done.
II awakened In the night BY the
smell OF IRE don't dress. Wrap your
self in blanket or quilt from the bed
and get out the quickest way you can.
Shut the doors you pass through. Aftsr
calling help look in and see where and
what Is the danger. If the hre 10 on
the arst floor It II very dangerous to
20 above, because heat and smoke
ascend.
One can often get out through hall
filled with smoke by going on hands
and knees when one would fall choking
Ii one ran. The smoke Il thickest at
the ceiling. Holding wet towel or
anything made Of wool or even coat
collar over the mouth greatly lessons
the danger Of injury to the lungs or
death from the carbonic acid gas In the
smoke.
II 4 man Is In burning building
with no fire escape and the stair below
is burning or the hall filed with smoke
he should shut the door and transom
to keep out the gases. Then he should
throw open the window to get cool air
and to let rho flremen and neighbors
see where he Is, SO that they may bring
4 ladder to the window.