Equally shocking

is how most of these deaths occurred. Contrary to popular belief, the

leading cause of death from a fire is not burns. Smoke inhalation is the

culprit, causing over 77 percent of all fire fatalities according to a

recent article in the NFPA Journal. Smoke inhalation deaths totaled 2,236,

while burns accounted for only 526.

In fact, smoke

does more than asphyxiate victims. Survivors of fires have reported confusion

and panic impeding them and others fom reaching an exit in smoke-filled

areas.

Survivors have

also said disorientation a loss of clear thinking and visibility seriously

restricted their mobility and ability to act during the emergency. Disaster

reports further stated that panic-stricken victims often hyperventilate,

breathing in massive amounts of toxic fumes and smoke, which can hasten

death.

Smoke from

home fires, particularly those involving upholstery, contains a cocktail

of lethal toxins including benzene, sulphur dioxide, formaldehyde, hydrogen

chloride, ammonia and hydrogen cyanide. But the most lethal of all is

carbon monoxide, the number-one killer in fires.

Often dubbed

the "silent killer," CO earns its name from its odorless, colorless

and fatal properties, killing people with concentrations as low as one-fifth

of one percent in air and producing symptoms of poisoning with as little

as 1/1000 of a percent.

Another urgency

facing those caught in a fire is time. Seconds become precious from the

moment smoke is detected. Depending on various factors, such as the fire's

location and the size of the structure, a person may succumb to smoke

inhalation in less than 60 seconds. It is estimated that 94 percent of

peole die before firefighters arrive.

Prevention

There are a

number of ways to prevent deaths and injuries due to fires in the home.

In the 1999 Fire Loss in the United States report in the NFPA Journal,

author Michael J. Karter, Jr., a senior statistician with the NFPA's Fire

Analysis and Research Division, said the key to reducing the fire death

toll were fire safety initiatives targeted at the home.

He said, for

example, that more people must use and maintain smoke detecctors. The

NFPA reports that 93 percent of all homes and businesses in the United

States have at least one smoke detector installed, and this has accounted

for a significant drop in fire fatalities. But maintenance is important

and smoke detectors should be replaced every ten years to "protect

against an accumulated chance of failure."

The are also

CO detectors on the market to help alert families to carbon monoxide in

the home.

Karter went

on to say that while early smoke detection is vital in the event of a

fire, more people must develop and practice escape plans. He warned that

those most at risk were infants, the elderly and the poor, and their special

fire safety needs must be better addressed. His warning echoed the NFPA's

statistics that children five and under account for 19 percent of home

fire deaths, and their risk is twice that of the general population. Meanwhile,

the statistics showed that people over 65 have a risk that is almost five

times as great.

Solution

Fire prevention

experts agree that maximizing the few seconds available to escape a burning

building could mean the difference between survival and death. Again,

the most immediate problem is the toxic atmsphere created immediately

An innovative

lifesaving device called a smoke hood solves this problem by filtering

out toxic fumes and smoke. Often used in industrial safety and aviation

applications, smoke hoods are increasingly being purchased by frequent

travelers and safety-conscious homeowners.

Public awareness

of their value was heightened after recent print and TV media focused

attention on devastating aviation disasters and stances taken on them

of Transportation Inspector General May Shiavo.

Proven effective

in emergencies as well as laboratory testing, smoke hoods fit over the

head, protecting the eyes, face, hair and neck from heat, while a filtration

system prevents toxic gases, fumes and particles from reaching the lungs.

Several leading models also utilize a catalytic process to protect the

user from CO poisoning. Unfortunately, some designs do not have this capability,

which renders them ineffective against the most toxic element found in

smoke.

One example

of a CO capable design is the EVAC-U8 Emergency Escape Smoke Hood, manufactured

in Vancouver, Canada. This device has been highly recommended by fire,

travel and safety experts as the most effective, affordable and user-friendly

smoke hood on the market. The EVAC-U8 is a cylindrical canister, about

the size of a soft drink can and weighing only 11 ounces. It provides

20 minutes of protection agaisnt high concentrations of CO and other toxic

gases and fumes becuase of its unique multistage chemical catalytic filtration

system.

The EVAC-U8

is simple to use. Once the lid of the sealed canister is twisted off,

the hood (made of Teflon-coated Kapton, a heat and flame resistant material)

is released. Pulling back the hood exposes a mouthpiece and attached nose

clip. After inserting the mouthpiece and applying the nose clip, the hood

is easily positioned over the head.

Another feature

praised by safety professionals is the white luminescent disc at the base

of the canister. The disc glows in the dark, enabling firefighters to

easily locate the user. the EVAC-U8, which has a five-year shelf life,

comes complete with a wall mount for use in the home. The manufacturer

will replace, at no charge, any unit that is used in a documented fire

emergency.

In a fire emergency,

a smoke hood like this could be the best insurance policy you have. For

more information on this potentially live-saving technology, call 1-800-459-3822

or visit www.evac-u8.com .

Back

to Home & Garden Home Page