JACKSONVILLE, Fla. &#; If a fire were to start in your home, would you know what to do? Last year, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department responded to 598 apartment and home fires. Of those, 209 started in the kitchen.
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This year, from January 1 to April 18, JFRD has already responded to 210 fires -- 56 started in a kitchen.
Regardless of where or how a fire breaks out, JFRD says the first step is to call 911, but then what? Grab a fire extinguisher? What about a fire blanket?
News4JAX Consumer investigative reporter Lauren Verno tested a fire blanket to see how well it could suppress an oven fire.
(WJXT)
It&#;s a product we found after an ad popped up in our social media feed. We bought two for $35.04. We were not familiar with the fire blanket, so we asked Randy Wyse, the president of the Jacksonville Association of Firefighters, to help us test it.
There are a variety of fire blankets available for sale at places like Amazon and The Home Depot.
The blankets are made of a highly resistant material that can be used to smother a fire. In the ad that popped up on social media, the blanket looked simple enough to use.
However, before our test, Wyse told us that likely wouldn&#;t be the case when facing a real fire.
&#;To have a non-trained professional try and get that close to a fire to smother it is concerning,&#; he said.
We showed Wyse one of the many videos we saw on YouTube of how the blanket is used.
In the video, the person using the blanket faces the flames in a calm manner and then easily covers the fire with the blanket. But Wyse, said you are likely not going to be calm in real life.
&#;You are going to be in panic mode for sure,&#; he said.
We asked Wyse to simulate as close to a real-life situation as possible for us to test the fire blanket ourselves &#; but with his expert supervision.
In the middle of the field, an old oven was set up. We covered the oven with diesel and started a fire. The flames grew quickly and getting close to them was intimidating.
News4JAX tested a fire blanket and fire extinguisher to see which one was the safest and most effective way to stop an oven fire.
(WJXT)
&#;That&#;s why we recommend you stay away and why with these blankets, there is some concern that they would face some burns. But if you stayed far enough away you would not,&#; said Wyse.
As flames grew even the professionals questioned our test.
&#;Are you really going to do this?&#; Wyse asked us.
&#;Throw it, I&#;m going to throw it,&#; Lauren Verno responded.
News4JAX Consumer investigative reporter Lauren Verno tries to smother an oven fire with a fire blanket.
(WJXT)
And just as Lauren seemed confident, the flames got so hot the glass on the oven exploded.
Lauren admits, she started to question the test herself -- not wanting to get as close to the oven as she needed to.
Lauren got as close to the oven as she felt comfortable and threw the blanket towards the flames. It quickly fell off.
We let Wyse try, but by then, most of the fuel had burned off. He was able to get much closer when he threw it. The blanket slid off the oven.
&#;It&#;s just really hard to do,&#; said Wyse.
We decided to try again because the wind had picked up when we attempted the first time.
This time, Lauren got much closer and was able to get the blanket to stay over the flames.
Then, the flames shot through the sides of the blanket, the fire still burning.
Wyse gave the blanket a thumbs down.
If the demonstration with the fire blanket was not enough, another reason Wyse was hesitant about the fire blanket was the lack of labeling.
Wyse says to look for a UL listing on the packaging which means a product has been tested and determined that the product meets specific, defined requirements.
The fire extinguisher we brought to the test had the UL right on the box and on the device. Nothing on the blanket.
To know you're buying a fire safety product that has been tested and meets specific, defined requirements, look for the UL label on the packaging.
(WJXT)
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The cost of two fire blankets was also relatively the same it costs for two fire extinguishers.
As we mentioned, the two fire blankets were $35.04. We also bought two fire extinguishers for just 90 cents more -- $35.94.
If you&#;ve never used a fire extinguisher, Lauren learned firsthand not to be intimidated.
Wyse says when using a fire extinguisher -- remember PASS.
· Pull the pin
· Aim
· Squeeze the handle
· Sweep back and forth
News4JAX Consumer investigative reporter Lauren Verno uses a fire extinguisher to put out an oven fire.
(WJXT)
We relit the fire on the oven, and this time, Lauren used the fire extinguisher to put the fire out quickly. Remember, this was Lauren&#;s first time using a fire extinguisher, and she followed Wyse&#;s instructions for PASS.
&#;There was no comparison. I would pick the fire extinguisher every time,&#; Lauren said.
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An 11Alive viewer wanted to know more about a fire blanket advertised on Facebook.
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ATLANTA &#; Heating, holiday decorations, winter weather and candles all can lead to an increased risk of fire during the winter months, according to the National Fire Protection Agency. With that in mind, 11Alive viewer Sophia Johnson asked us to take a closer look at a fire blanket advertisement she spotted on Facebook.
"There's a blanket that's supposed to put out fires&#;you get this blanket, and you pull it and throw it. Can you verify that for me?" Johnson asked.
11Alive's Verify team found multiple fire blankets advertised online, meant to extinguish small fires by cutting off the fire's oxygen supply. But do experts recommend homeowners have a fire blanket in case of fire?
11Alive&#;s Verify team reached out to local, state and national sources for answers.
According to Cobb County Fire officials, fire blankets are not normally used in cooking fire settings, but rather in the movie industry or for pyrotechnic events.
&#;Smoke alarms should be on each level of the structure and in every sleeping area. We suggest you focus on a good ABC rated fire extinguisher and training on its use,&#; Captain Joseph D. Bryant with Cobb Fire said in an .
The office of Georgia&#;s Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner also shared insight regarding fire blankets. In an , a spokesman for the office confirmed that fire blankets are a useful tool, with caveats.
&#;Fire blankets are a useful tool in the fire safety field. They can be used to contain small to medium fires, especially in the kitchen,&#; Brandon Wright, public information officer, said.
&#;However, fire extinguishers are the recommended tool to have in the kitchen to protect yourself in the event of a fire. They allow the user to be a safe distance away from the fire, can be aimed at specific areas to stop fires from spreading, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate any user. While fire blankets are a useful tool to keep on hand for protection, fire extinguishers have more benefits for consumers in the event of a fire. Ideally, families will have both extinguishers and blankets in the home, extinguishers to help stop the spreading of fires and blankets in case anyone ever catches on fire.&#;
11Alive also spoke with experts for the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The association, according to a spokesperson, does not endorse or test products and instead, emphasizes prevention and fire safety, advising if there's a fire, get out as quickly as you can, and call the fire department.
In some cases, small kitchen fires can be contained. For some small grease fires, DeKalb Fire officials demonstrated one of the NFPA recommendations: slide a fitted lid over the pot and turn off the stove top burner to smother the flame. Know this: the leading cause of kitchen fires is unattended cooking.
Ultimately, the majority of agencies that we spoke said fire blankets are not a replacement for other safety tools like fire extinguishers and the need for working smoke alarms. Yet, our question as to whether officials recommend the use of fire blankets varied depending on the agency, leaving Sophia&#;s question unverified.
For those interested in learning more, the Consumer Product Safety Commission confirmed to 11Alive that there are indeed standards for fire blankets:
&#;We recommend that if consumers are going to purchase a fire blanket, they look for one that complies with ASTM F--05(). Fire blankets are not a replacement for other fire safety devices, such as fire extinguishers. Consumers should always have a working smoke alarm."
Here is more information provided by Cobb County Fire on home fire safety and training on fire safety as well as fire extinguisher use.
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