Firefighters work to train residents on fire safety
The Russellville Fire Department conducted a fire safety class at Village Square Apartments in Russellville on Friday in an effort to teach residents what to do and what not to do in a fire.
Firefighter Jody Hitt began the class by telling the apartment residents the first thing to remember when it comes to a fire.
“Your number one priority is to save yourself because you life is the most important thing,” Hitt said. “Material things can be replaced, but no one can replace you.”
Hitt said in an apartment setting, many residents feel the need to try to get others out, but that’s not always the best idea.
“You should tell your neighbors on the way out of the building that there is a fire,” Hitt said.
“Bang on doors and yell ‘There’s a fire’ and if the fire alarm isn’t going off yet, you should pull it on your way out, too.
“The main thing is, get out of the building. If your neighbor is being stubborn and doesn’t want to leave, you can’t stay and make them get out.”
Fire Chief Joe Mansell said that once a resident got out of the building, they should get a safe distance away from the building, but they should not leave the scene completely.
“It’s so important, especially with an apartment complex, for us to be able to account for every person who lives there,” Mansell said.
“I remember a years ago we fought a fire here and had residents in three apartments who left the scene. We spent valuable man-hours searching for people who were already safe, and that kept us from being able to do other things that needed to be done.
“Having to stop fighting the fire to do unnecessary things like that makes our job more dangerous and makes it more dangerous for everyone else. It’s not always easy to wait, but that’s what has to be done.”
Mansell referenced the most recent fire at Village Square Apartments where one resident lost his life in the blaze.
“That was a scary situation, but the residents and management did a good job getting out of the building and staying put until everyone was accounted for,” Mansell said.
“They did exactly what they should have done.”
Hitt demonstrated the proper way to use a fire extinguisher should the residents ever need to use one.
“We don’t encourage you to fight a fire, but if the fire is small and you feel comfortable, we want you to know what you’re doing and how to use the extinguisher,” Mansell said.
Hitt said the thing to remember when using a fire extinguisher is the acronym PASS, which stands for pull, aim, squeeze and sweep.
“When using the extinguisher you should pull the pin first, aim at the fire, then squeeze the handle and sweep it over the fire,” Hitt said.
“Many people just start squeezing the handle before aiming and all the powder comes out before it can cover the fire.”
Mansell said that even if someone has a small fire and is able to put it out themselves, they should still call the fire department.
“Fifteen years ago we had a lady who had a small grease fire in her kitchen and she thought she got it put out,” Mansell said.
“Six hours later the whole house went up in flames because the fire had gotten behind the wall and had gotten in the attic. It was a total loss.
“We’re trained to make sure your house is safe after any size fire. That’s what we’re here for, so just call us.”
