Crochet Baby Blanket

For small fires, a fire blanket is a safety device which is useful in any home. These blankets can put out smaller fires before they have a chance to get bigger. Made of non-flammable materials, these are useful for fires which can’t be put out with water. Fires which can be put out by a fire blanket include grease/oil fires and electrical fires. Never use water if you have a stove or pan catch fire – use a fire blanket instead of water. These reusable safety devices can be kept wherever they can be kept close at hand. Even if someone’s clothes catch fire, the fire blanket can be wrapped around them to put it out.

Fire blankets are useful in many other areas of the home, not just the kitchen. You may want to keep one near your electrical equipment, in the garage and anywhere that an oil or grease fire may occur. The newer fire blankets perform better than the old wool fire blankets, with no scorching. Some large wool fire blankets are still in use in labs. You may come across old fire blankets which are made of asbestos from time to time – while these are non-flammable, these are hazardous and should be disposed of carefully.

Newer household fire blankets are usually made of materials like fiberglass or aramid fibers. These materials are synthetic, but will not melt or drip and of course, do not burn. They will not stick even to fire-damaged skin. Most fire blankets are still effective up to temperatures as high as 900 degrees centigrade, making them one of the most effective as well as simplest fire safety solutions.