What Not to Use a Fire Blanket On: A Beginner’s Guide to Fire Safety

A fire blanket is a special fire-resistant blanket that you can use to put out small fires in your kitchen or on someone’s clothing. Users will usually keep a spare fire blanket close to their kitchens to prepare for a fire breakout if one occurs. Fire blankets are quite proficient in putting out small fires because you only need to smother the fire with the blanket to put it out. There is virtually no risk of the blanket catching on fire itself. 

Alternatively, you can use the fire blanket to create a barrier around the fire to prevent the flames from escaping. It all depends on the current size of the fire and the number of fire blankets you have in your possession. Some people will even wrap themselves up in their fire blankets to pass through fires blocking their exits.

All these scenarios represent viable and safe uses of a fire blanket. However, there are other scenarios in which you should avoid using one because it is inefficient at preventing a bad situation from getting worse. 

Below are the top 6 safety tips for when not using a fire blanket:

1) Avoid Using the Blanket on Grease Fires

Commercial or sophisticated residential kitchens frequently use deep fryers with hot oil and grease. Unfortunately, if they are not monitored carefully, deep fryers are more prone to causing grease fires. 

You should avoid using a fire blanket to smother a grease fire. This will cause hot oil to splatter all over the place, and if it starts splattering, you or someone else in the area might get hot oil on your skin or eyes. 

2) Avoid Using the Blanket on Electrical Fires

Electrical fires are usually caused by faulty appliances, worn electrical outlets, or degraded wiring. They cannot be put out with a fire blanket because they are fueled by an active power line that drives the flames to get bigger. 

The best thing you can do in these situations is to unplug your appliances from the outlets and shut off the circuit breakers or electrical main of your home or building. This will cut off the electricity and prevent it from fueling the fire further. Then, you can use a fire extinguisher to put out the remaining fire. 

3) Avoid Using the Blanket on Large Fires

One of the main problems with fire blankets is their size limitations. Sure, a fire blanket might be big enough to put out a small kitchen fire, but it is not big enough to put out a large, out-of-control fire. 

You cannot use a fire blanket on an active fire that is longer or wider than it. The fire must be smaller for the fire blanket to be of any use. So, when you encounter a large fire in your environment, evacuate everyone from their area and call 911 or your local emergency services department for assistance. 

If you have a fire extinguisher handy, you could use it to try and put out the fire until the professional firefighters arrive. Otherwise, get out of the building and wait for them to save the day. 

4) Avoid Using a Fire Blanket on Extremely High-Temperature Fires

The average fire blanket is made of wool or fiberglass and coated with a flame-resistant material suitable for putting out standard fires. Unfortunately, these materials are less resistant to extra-hot fires in specialized environments, such as industrial or chemical-based fires. 

For instance, if a fire contains high levels of sodium, magnesium, or lithium, these elements will cause the fire to be much hotter than the average fire. A fire blanket’s material is not strong enough to completely put out these kinds of fires. Only a Class K or Class D fire extinguisher is capable of putting them out. 

5) Avoid Using a Fire Blanket When Other Extinguishing Methods Are Available

One of the most common myths is that a fire blanket is a viable substitute for fire extinguishers. That could not be further from the truth. A fire blanket should always be considered a last resort when you have no other fire-extinguishing methods available. 

Some examples of better fire extinguishing methods include fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems. You should also equip your home or building with activated smoke alarms so that you can be immediately alerted when a fire breaks out. That will increase your chances of successfully extinguishing the fire before it becomes a bigger fire.

6) Avoid Using a Fire Blanket on Multiple Fires Simultaneously

A fire blanket is only good enough to extinguish one small kitchen or clothing fire. It is not good enough to extinguish multiple fires at the same time. Even if you have numerous fire blankets available, you won’t have the time to smother multiple small fires unless you have other people assisting you. 

For safety's sake, it is better to rely on alternative extinguishing methods to put out multiple fires simultaneously. Fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems can cover a lot more ground in less time without putting anyone’s life at risk.

Final Tips

Identifying the type of fire that breaks out will help you choose the best way to respond to it. You will know whether to use a fire blanket or fire extinguisher or simply call for professional assistance and evacuate the area. 

In any case, you will need at least one or more fire blankets on standby to use with your other fire safety tools. Parcil Safety is one of the most trusted suppliers of fire blankets because they are reliable, durable, and long-lasting. 

Many people use fire blankets in conjunction with fire extinguishers and sprinkler systems to increase their likelihood of putting out their fires. That is fine as long as you’re more reliant on the fire extinguisher and sprinkler system than the fire blanket.