Karren T.

Reyes HSPS-2

Am I Ready?

Disasters are not bizarre anomalies. They are natural and normal events that are bound to
occur. Tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, etc. happen because these are inexorable adverse events
that result from the natural processes of the Earth. In a similar way, anthropogenic hazards do
also occur such as intentional and accidental infrastructure failures, fires, chemical explosions,
war, biological threats, etc., which are inevitable consequences of humans' nature as fallible
creatures.
I am very engrossed in the idea of preventing and escaping during the occurrence of
home fires. This is because my family and I once experienced the whiplash of fire and though we
escaped, there were a lot of properties damaged that caused us to fall into the hole of poverty
once again. I was only 2 years old that time and my parents were just sorting out our lives and
starting up our business when that unexpected fiasco happened and let us back to zero. This time
around, I want to reflect and integrate all what I have learned in this subject in order to rectify
and amend the actions that my family wasn’t able to apply or do during the disaster and disaster
preparedness is the key.
Disaster preparedness is an actual complex system that contains to-dos and what-not-to-
dos in a disaster. Conformed inside of it are a number of actions one must apply in preparation
before, during, and after a disaster. And, all these types of actions are important to consider.
We have learned on this subject the proper fire safety and management plan, the
concepts, and the proper measures or actions. First, we differentiated the kinds of fire (natural,
man-made, and mismanagement) and then compared each kind separately with the use of
examples. Additionally, we learned about the triangle of combustion and the fire tetrahedron
where we learned the materials or agents that need to be available in order to start a fire. Aside
from that, we also learned about the 5 classes of fire (A, B, C, D, & K) which was very important
because by understanding what each fire class means, we understood which fire types are a
safety hazard at our homes or places. By being aware of the five classes of fires, one can be sure
that he or she is purchasing safety equipment that will be effective should an accident or
emergency occur. The meticulous stages of a fire were also discussed wherein fire starts in the
ignition stage, moves on with the growth stage, then becomes fully developed, and lastly decays
or also known as the burnout stage.
As for the concepts and precautionary measures one must do during a fire, we have
learned the mnemonics R.A.C.E. and P.A.S.S. The procedure that we have learned was
shortened into an innuendo called R.A.C.E. which stands for Rescue, Alert, Contain, and
Extinguish. First, rescue anyone in immediate danger. Second, alert all the people using the fire
alarm. Next, contain the fire by closing all the doors and windows. And lastly, extinguish the fire
using a fire extinguisher and evacuate immediately if not able to do the latter. We were also
taught how to manipulate a fire extinguisher and that is by following the 4-step rule, P.A.S.S.
(Pull, Aim, Squeeze, & Sweep). First, pull the safety pin. Then, aim the extinguisher at the base
of the fire. Next, squeeze the handle to discharge the product. And finally, move the fire
extinguisher in a sweeping motion, side to side.
 Combining what I have learned, my fire prevention and mitigation plan for home fires are
first, ensuring that our house or the building’s design follows the standard rules regarding fire
safety (such as appropriate electrical system, fire exits, and sprinkler system). Then, checking of
the proper storage of materials that are combustible and separating them from the possible
sources of heat. Next is to conduct regular inspections of the electrical wirings, electrical
appliances, and cooking equipment around the house or building. Lastly is to secure the family’s
fire insurance. As for the fire preparedness plan, first, our family should have a fire contingency
plan and warning system. We should prepare an evacuation and fire plan that my family and I
will have to practice. Then, create a communication plan. Next is ensuring the functioning and
repairing of the fire alarms and smoke detectors. Afterward, ensure the availability of fire
extinguishers around the house or the building. Next is to follow the safety tips for fire (e.g. GET
OUT, STAY OUT and CALL 9-1-1). Finally, check the setting of the evacuation areas or
possible places to go after the fire and refresh the protocols for evacuation. The important note is
that the family or all the people generally should be informed and be well-practiced and well-
prepared.
If I were to rate myself on how prepared I am, with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the
highest, I would like to give myself 7 out of 10. I would like to justify this by stating that, yes, I
do understand each and every concept and precautionary action on how to combat and prevent a
fire, however, I haven’t really had an actual experience where I can apply what I have learned.
And I believe in the power of experiential learning where one can maximize his or her learning
ability when he is put into that environment and experience it. Additionally, we focused more on
the concepts and lessons rather than the actual application. We were not able to do the activities
or practicums on the actual handling of a fire extinguisher and fire management actions due to
overlapping schedules of our immersion and core subjects as well as the constricted time given
to us because of the nearing examinations. Overall, I am glad that I learned the important
concepts in such a short period of time. The only thing that will determine or measure if I really
learned and internalized the lessons is by actually applying it in real life and how will I use what
I have learned in order to prepare for and combat the occurrence of combustions. The end game
is that it all boils down to how I will act on the actual disaster, and that is by calmly applying
what I have just learned about this subject.