Newsletter BFD Corrected-Proof - Flipbook - Page 5
MODERN HOMES:
FIRES TODAY BURN 8X FASTER!
Did you know that fires today spread around 8
times faster & produce 200 times more smoke
than they did 50 years ago? In the past, homes
were built with solid wood and filled with natural
materials like cotton and wool, which burned
slowly and gave people more time to escape.
A room that once took 30 minutes to be fully
engulfed can now burn in under three minutes.
That means you may have only two minutes to
react and get out safely. Open floor plans, lightweight construction, and lithium-ion batteries in
everyday devices also add to the danger.
In modern homes, most furniture, carpets,
curtains, and mattresses are made with synthetic
materials that ignite quickly, burn hotter, and give
off dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide
and hydrogen cyanide. Smoke inhalation is the
number one cause of death in house fires.
Have a plan, close your doors before you go to
sleep, know two ways out of every room, and
practice an exit plan with your family. We also
strongly recommend keeping a smoke detector
on every floor of your home and inside every
bedroom.
SPECIAL RESPONSE UNIT
Fire Investigation
The Bartlett Fire Protection District has a
Fire Investigation Team that consists of seven
members tasked with determining fire cause
and origin. Investigators are on call 24 hours
a day, 365 days a year to respond to fire investigations. Members of the team are certified
as investigators by the Office of the State Fire
Marshal. They have extensive training to investigate all fires in a professional and scientific
manner, consider the weight of the evidence,
and arrive at an expert opinion as to the cause
of the fire, using nationally accepted standards.
Components of a thorough investigation include scene examination, photograph and
video documentation, evidence recognition and collection, diagrams, interviews,
and reporting.
Nick Ackerman
Team Leader
