Fire

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas. Carbon monoxide is produced due to incomplete combustion of burned fuels (i.e., oil, natural gas, wood, etc.). Many household appliances can produce carbon monoxide including:

• Burning fireplace
• Car running in an attached garage
• Charcoal grill in an enclosed space
• Gas clothes dryer
• Gas or oil furnaces
• Gas ovens and stoves
• Gas water heaters

Carbon monoxide gas interferes with the body's ability to transport oxygen. This can lead to tissue damage and death. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can include headache, dizziness, and shortness of breath, nausea and mental confusion. Carbon monoxide detectors are designed to alert the owner to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide before it can become a hazard. Most carbon monoxide detectors are plugged into an outlet and therefore if the power supply is interrupted the detector will not operate. However some models have battery back-up systems in the event of a power failure. Since carbon monoxide is slightly lighter than air, detectors should be placed on a wall approximately five feet from the floor and be tested monthly. Each level of the home should have its own detector and the alarm should be loud enough or close enough to the bedroom to awaken you. If the alarm sounds, vacate the premises and dial 9-1-1. Do not re-enter the house.

Dialing 9-1-1 is a quick and easy tool to allow you to report an emergency. When you dial 9-1-1, be prepared to answer some questions in order to determine what type of emergency response is needed. Once the type of emergency has been determined the proper emergency response will be dispatched (emergency medical, fire or police). Do not hang up until told to do so by the dispatcher. They may need additional information and if it is a medical call they may be able to provide pre-arrival instructions that may help the patient. 

If you are dialing 9-1-1 from a cellular telephone, you will need to be prepared to give an exact address or at least the area from which you are calling. Note any common landmarks that may be useful in determining your exact location. 

If you accidentally dial 9-1-1, DO NOT HANG UP! If you hang up, it will still connect the call to the dispatch center and a police officer will be dispatched to investigate. Stay on the line and explain to the dispatcher that you accidentally dialed the number. This allows emergency personnel to be able to respond to true public safety issues.

Fire extinguishers are a valuable tool when used correctly. Extinguishers come in all shapes and sizes and deciding which extinguisher is best is a difficult decision. Fire extinguishers are labeled based on the type of fire they are designed to put out. 

The following are types of extinguishers:

• Type A: This extinguisher is designed for ordinary combustibles such as cloth, plastics, rubber or wood. The symbol used for this type of extinguisher is a triangle.
• Type B: This extinguisher is designed for flammable liquids such as gasoline, grease, oil or paints. The symbol used for this type of extinguisher is a square.
• Type C: This extinguisher is designed for electrical fires. The symbol used for this type of extinguisher is a circle.
• Type D: This extinguisher is designed for metal fires such as magnesium or sodium. The symbol used for this type of extinguisher is a star.

Some extinguishers are multi use extinguishers. These types of extinguishers can be used to extinguish different types of fires. They may be labeled as 2A10BC. This type of extinguisher is a good one to have in the kitchen area or garage area of a house. The extinguisher should be placed in plain view and away from heating appliances. Extinguishers need to be checked regularly to make sure they are still charged and they will need to be refilled or replaced after each use. Extinguishers should only be used if the fire is a small fire or is confined to an object (oven, wastebasket, etc.). Do Not Fight A Large Fire With An Extinguisher! Make sure everyone leaves the house, closing all doors behind you to help slow the spread of the fire and dial 9-1-1 from outside the house.

To schedule a fire truck for a special event, contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at (423) 643-5618.

To receive a fire department patch, send a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Chattanooga Fire Department
Attn: Patch Request
910 Wisdom Street
Chattanooga, TN 37406

*One request per household; must live within the continental U.S.

To schedule a fire safety presentation, contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at (423) 643-5618.

To schedule a tour of a fire station, contact the Fire Prevention Bureau at (423) 643-5604.

The Insurance Service Office (ISO) conducts independent evaluations on fire departments throughout the United States. This evaluation reviews how the fire department receives and dispatches its fire alarms, where the department's fire stations are located throughout the city, what equipment is carried on the department's fire apparatus, the training received by the city's fire personnel and the availability of water supply to conduct fire operations. Numerical scores are assigned to each of the above based on the evaluation and a grade is determined. Based on this grade, a public protection classification is determined for the city. These classifications range from 1 to 10. A Class 1 denotes exemplary public protection and Class10 denotes not meeting ISO minimum criteria. 

The classifications are used to help establish appropriate insurance premiums for that city. Currently, the Chattanooga Fire Department is an ISO Class 1 department.

• Be familiar with your building, exits, stairwells and fire alarm systems.

• Learn the sound of your building's fire alarm.

• Know at least two separate escape routes from every office space, your apartment or condo, as well as the exits from the building.

• Post emergency numbers near all telephones. Building managers should post escape routes and evacuation plans in highly visible areas.

• If you discover a fire, immediately sound the fire alarm system by pulling a fire alarm box, or by calling the fire department.

• Listen for your building intercom system for instructions and do as you are told. Sometimes it is best to stay in place in a high-rise situation.

• If instructed to do so, follow the building escape plan, unless you encounter smoke or other signs of trouble, then use your alternate route.

• If you do leave, exit quickly and close all doors behind you to slow down the spread of the fire.

• If you encounter smoke, fall down on your hands and knees and crawl low to the ground. Cleaner air is about 1 to 2 inches from the floor.

• Test doors before opening with the back of your hand. If any part of the door is warm, (especially the area between the door and its frame), do not open it. If the door is cool, open slowly and be prepared to shut it quickly if smoke or heat rushes in.

• Count the number of doors between your unit and the two nearest building exits; you may have to escape in the dark or in low visibility.

• NEVER use an elevator in a fire situation. It may stop between floors or worse, open on the floor of the fire.

• Always use the stairwells during a fire situation. They are designed to protect you from a fire on the floor areas.

• Use the stairwells in your building occasionally to be familiar with them. Report any type of storage or trash accumulation to maintenance or management immediately.

• If you become trapped in a high-rise building, stay calm and protect yourself.

• Make your way to a window if possible, closing all doors between you and the fire.

• Wait at the window and signal to firefighters below with a flashlight, white sheet or some other way of attracting attention to you.

• If possible, use a telephone to call 911 and give the operator your exact location. DO so even if you can see the fire trucks below.