DRRM

Fire Doors

• to slow down or stop the spread of fire

• Found in the interior of a building

• need to be locked but should provide an exit or escape from fire

• should comply with standards

• blue and white for positive instruction

Fire Exit Doors

• to exit or escape from a fire

• Found in the exterior of a building

• need not be locked

• should comply with standards

• green signage as universal color for go

LESSON 1: FIRE TRIANGLE

1. Oxygen 

   • 21% of oxygen in our atmosphere is enough for combustion to take place in a normal setting

   • Fire can be sustained even at lower concentrations of oxygen until such a point that little or no oxygen is available for combustion to take place.

2. Heat 

   • Heat is needed to increase a material’s temperature to its ignition temperature, the lowest point where a material can start to ignite a fire

   • Fire starts at different temperatures because different materials have varying ignition temperatures. 

3. Fuel 

   • Fire's material source of energy is its fuel

   • It is also where the fire will start in different combustible materials such as wood, paper, gasoline, alcohol, methane, and propane. 

   • Noncombustible materials such as wax cannot become a source of fuel for a fire to start. A house finished with noncombustible materials such as concrete will make the house less vulnerable to fires than those made of wood.

LESSON 2: CAUSES OF FIRE

Major Causes of Fire Incidents in the Philippines (2021)

• Faulty Electrical Connections or Electrical Overloading

• Unattended Cooking

• Candles

• Cigarette Butts

• Flammable Chemicals

Get Out, Stay Out, and Call!

1. Scream, “Fire!” several times.

2. Get out of the building.

3. Use the stairs, not the elevator.

4. Do not open doors if they are closed and their knobs are warm. Use the alternative escape door.

5. If there is smoke, stay low while finding your way to the exit door.

6. Once out of the building, call the fire department.

7. Go to your family meeting place and contact your family members.       

LESSON 3: Precautionary Measures against Fire Incidents

Fire Risk Assessment 

• an important procedure against fire incidents.

• a means to understand the situation of an area and determine the different preventive measures needed to reduce an area's vulnerability to fire.

The assessment usually includes:

• a drawing or a plan of the structure,

• the people living on the structure, and

• the materials or equipment within the structure.

Precautionary Measures

• Installing a Fire Alarm System

• Buying a Fire Extinguisher and a Fire Blanket

• Safe Cooking

• Proper Disposal of Cigarette Butts

• Handling of Appliances and Equipment

PASS METHOD

1. Pull the pin in the handle 

2. Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire

3. Squeeze the lever slowly

4. Sweep from side to side

LESSON 4: STAGES/PHASES OF FIRE GROWTH

1. Ignition (Incipient) 

   • Heat + Oxygen + Fuel Source

   • happens when all the fire triangle elements are present.

   • also known as the incipient phase, occurs when fuel, with available oxygen, starts to heat up to its ignition temperature and starts a fire

2. Growth (free burning)

   • Fire expands - Oxygen decreases - Temperature increases.

   • Growth occurs when the ignited fire eats up additional fuel. The fire expands and spreads more as the fire consumes more fuel or ignites other fuel sources.

   • The grown fire creates a convection flow towards the fire because of the temperature difference between the fire and its surroundings. The inflow of air increases the size of the fire even further.

   • At this point, oxygen is depleted, and more carbon dioxide is produced. The fire's heat and surroundings increase, and the fuel decreases as it is consumed

3. Full Development 

   • when all available fuels have been ignited and are now burned.

   • The fire is at its maximum size and will continue to burn as long as there is available oxygen to be consumed. 

   • at this point, the temperature of the fire reaches its maximum while the oxygen decreases rapidly in concentration, and the fuel sources are being used up

4. Decay (smoldering)

   • Oxygen or fuel is consumed.

   • happens when a fire starts to diminish in size because of oxygen and fuel being used up. 

   • also known as the smoldering phase, is usually the longest of the four phases because the oxygen and fuel sources are steadily consumed 

LESSON 5: 

Fire Emergency Evacuation plan (FEEP) - essential in preventing and mitigating losses during a fire hazard. FEEPs depend on several factors that must be maximized to create the most efficient evacuation plan.

Mode of Evacuation

• simultaneous evacuation - all occupants exit the burning premises simultaneously. 

• phased evacuation - typically done in larger and more complex structures or buildings where those at greater risk from fire hazards are evacuated first

The following are key duties and responsibilities for fire incidents: 

• routine fire drills

• ensuring the best route for evacuation

• aiding disabled and visiting persons to the exit

• checking precautionary fire measures regularly

• accounting for the total number of people within the premises  

Calling the Fire Department - Hotline numbers of the fire department and other agencies should be posted or readily available for anyone to report a fire incident immediately.

Assembly Point - gathers all people from the burning structure to account for their safety and physical presence.

Fire Drill - includes not only evacuation but also other fire emergency safe practices such as using a fire extinguisher, knowing basic procedures like “get out, stay out, and call,” “get down, get low, and get out,” and “stop, drop, and roll.”

UNIT 9

Causes

• Social condition of a population or a country

• From a reactive to proactive response to disasters

Effects

• Better social conditions reduce the risk index

• Proactive response to disaster reduces the risk index

LESSON 1:

Risk = Hazard (H) x Vulnerability (V) / Capacity 

Disaster Reduction (Pre-event) Process

1. Prevention - expresses the intention of a community to avoid the potential harm of a disaster. This includes proper land use and suitable engineering design to withstand hazards.

2. Mitigation

   • includes actions and processes to reduce the severity of the impacts of hazards or disasters if it comes to that. 

   • the degree of severity can be lessened through mitigation or preparation procedures. 

   • includes proper information and community awareness; and stabilizing the physical factors of the community (e.g. infrastructure).

3. Adaptation 

   • is the adjustment of the community to actual or expected effects of a disaster. 

   • be a form of response to disaster and its harmful effects, which includes actions or methods done in order to turn some impacts into beneficial opportunities.

4. Preparedness - done by using information gathered by the community, experts, professionals, and the government, to increase the capacity of a community.

Disaster Reduction (Post event) Process

1. Response

   • is the emergency phase of disaster management

   • includes actions to provide emergency services and assistance during or after a disaster to save lives, reduce health impacts, ensure safety, and meet the needs of people who are affected. 

2. Recovery - includes the restoration and improvement of the community’s environment and efforts aligned with sustainable development that aims to reduce or remove factors that contribute to disaster risk.

• Rehabilitation - the rapid restoration of basic services and functions that will allow the community to cope right after a disaster. 

  • Setting up temporary hospitals and clinics to treat injured people.

  • Providing clean water and food to people who have lost their homes.

  • Clearing debris from roads so emergency vehicles can get through.

  • Restoring power to essential services like hospitals and water treatment plants.

  • Setting up temporary shelters for people who have been displaced from their homes.

• Reconstruction - the medium to long-term repairs done to sustainably restore critical infrastructure and services needed for the normal functioning of a community affected by a disaster

  • Rebuilding houses and apartments that were destroyed by a fire.

  • Repairing damaged bridges and roads to restore transportation.

  • Rebuilding schools and hospitals to provide essential services to the community.

  • Replacing damaged water and sewer pipes to restore sanitation.

  • Helping businesses rebuild so they can reopen and provide jobs.

LESSON 2: IMPORTANCE OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

Disaster risk reduction - assists us to consider our emergency response activities in light of existing and new disaster risks. 

• This enables us to design or adjust our activities so that people and communities become safer and more disaster-resilient, as well as safeguarding efforts to create and expand enabling conditions for sustainable poverty alleviation and development.

• Building resilience is the main importance of disaster risk reduction. 

LESSON 3: COMMUNITY BASED RISK REDUCTION MANAGEMENT

Community-based risk reduction management (CBRRM) - process that a community undergoes in order to derive a set of locally appropriate and adapted strategies for disaster preparedness and management.

CBRRM Components

1. Emergency Plan - A plan that tells people what to do before, during, and after a disaster. It includes evacuation routes, emergency contacts, and safe places.

2. Monitoring and Evaluation - Checking if the disaster plans, equipment, and community preparedness are working well and improving them if needed.

3. Early Warning Systems  - A way to alert people before a disaster happens, so they have time to prepare and evacuate.

4. Survival Kits and Materials - A bag with basic necessities to help people survive during and after a disaster.

   1. A family prepares an emergency go-bag with:
      ✅ Bottled water and canned food
      ✅ Flashlight and extra batteries
      ✅ First aid kit and medicines
      ✅ Important documents (IDs, birth certificates)

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management-Related Laws and Policies

Section 14 of RA 10121 - DDRM must be included in the basic education curricula, community youth training, and public sector employee training programs