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Fire Inspection/Prevention |
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City of Houma Fire Department's Inspection/Prevention Division is responsible for the inspections of all commercial
buildings within the city limits, fire investigations and fire prevention. This division consist of one Fire Inspector
and one Secretary. The division is led by Fire Inspector M. Millet. Inspector Millet began his career with Houma Fire
Department in 1995 as a Firefighter. Then worked his way through the ranks until becoming Inspector in 2006.
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Fire Inspector M. Millet
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Smoke Alarm Tips
- Test your smoke alarms at least once a month, following the manufacturer's instructions.
- Replace the
batteries in your smoke alarm twice a year, or as soon as the alarm "chirps," warning that the battery is low. HINT: change
your clocks – change your batteries.
- Never "borrow" a battery from a smoke alarm. Smoke alarms can't warn you of
fire if their batteries are missing or have been disconnected.
- Do not disable smoke alarms even temporarily – you
may forget to replace the battery.
- Regularly dusting your smoke alarms following manufacturer's instructions can
help keep it working properly.
- Smoke alarms do not last forever. Replace your smoke alarms once every 10 years.
- Have a working smoke alarm on each level of your home and outside bedrooms.
- Make sure that everyone in your
home can identify and awaken to the sound of the alarm.
- Install smoke alarms away from kitchens and bathrooms,
where cooking fumes and steam can cause the alarm to sound.
- Install smoke alarms away from air vents.
- Install smoke alarms on the ceiling or wall, at least 4 inches from the corners.
- When affixed to walls, smoke
alarms should be between 4 and 12 inches from the ceiling.
- Plan regular fire drills to ensure that everyone knows
exactly what to do when the smoke alarm sounds.
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Fire Extinguishers
You should actually call 911 anytime you have to use an extinguisher. The fire might appear to be out, but heat can
often be trapped in places you can't see and can cause the fire to rekindle. If you call 911 for a fire you extinguished,
make sure you advise the dispatcher that the fire is out (thanks to your extinguisher). If you have been alerted of the
fire by a smoke detector or fire alarm, chances are this fire is already too big to handle with your extinguisher. Make
sure all occupants are out of the house and call 911. Property can be replaced, people cannot.
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If, you decide that you can safely fight the fire with your extinguisher, you should use the same acronym used by
professional firefighters to remember what to do.
PASS stands for Pull, Aim, Squeeze and Sweep.
- Pull the pin at the top of the cylinder.
- Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire.
- Squeeze the handle.
- Sweep the contents from side to side at the base of the fire until it is
extinguished.
Watch carefully for rekindling of the fire. If it rekindles and your extinguisher is empty, move on to Plan B - leave
the room and call 911.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Using the wrong type of extinguisher on a fire could be dangerous and actually make the situation much worse, but don't
let that scare you away! It's as easy as A B C. Fire extinguishers are labeled with a letter according to the type of fire
on which they might be used.
The most common extinguisher types are:
- Type A is labeled with a green triangle on the extinguisher. It is used for ordinary combustibles
such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber and most plastics.
- Type B is labeled with a blue square and it is used to extinguish flammable liquids like gasoline,
oil, grease, paint and solvents.
- Type C is labeled with a yellow circle and is used on electrical fires involving wires, fuse boxes,
energized electrical equipment and other electrical sources.
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