UK: No More Chip Pan Fire Safety Demo
In your opinion, how important are demos and drills when it comes to safety issues? Fire drills, earthquake drills, and the like – many people deem these drills important in helping prepare people for possible emergency scenarios that may occur. Whether you are talking about adults or children, there just might be value in having demos and drills, don’t you think?
Apparently, in the UK, authorities have been thinking otherwise. For quite a long time – decades, even – the practice has been for firemen and rescue workers to go around local schools. Their goal has been to inform and instruct the children on fire hazards and fire safety measures. One of the highlights of their demos was to show how to put out chip pan fires.
Chip pan fires have the distinction of being considered the leading cause of injury (from fire) in Britain. This kind of fire can only be safely put out by wetting a thick towel and then placing it on top of the pan. Naturally, firemen and rescue workers tend to emphasize how to deal with chip pan fires. They give an actual demo to school children in order to show them exactly what to do in case a chip pan fire happens.
Well, at least they used to.
The whole situation reminds me of those silly TV shows that have the disclaimer “Do not try this at home. These stunts are being performed by professionals.” In short, I really do not get the reason they have for withdrawing the practical demonstration. Again, why do we have practical demos in the first place? To show the audience exactly how to behave and react in the face of an emergency, right? In this case, though, I think there is more to it than showing the children how to deal with a chip pan fire. The actual demo also works to emphasize just how dangerous such a situation can be and how calm and deliberate action can remove the danger.
Just how will leaflets (which are to replace the demos) going to provide the same experience?
Understandably – at least in my mind – parents and fire fighters are not happy about the decision. My question is this: what do you think of the withdrawal of the demo? Are the concerns valid?
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Posted on May 30th, 2008 by Deborah J Thomas
Filed under: Administrators, News, Parents, People Involved, Students
I agree they should not stop the real demo. I feel if they do not show kids and adults how intense this fire could be then when they have one at home they may just thing no big deal and realy get hut trying to put it out.
I injoy reading the articles that you have been publishing. Thanks and keep up the good work.
this is a fiasco, I have been manufacturing these units for years and they are used as a valuable training and safety resorce
I personally train trainers to ensure that these units are used safely, all aspects of the demonsration have been risk assessed.
The use of a wet towel to smother the chip pan fire has not been used in my training nor approved by the government for quite a few years.
The advice given remains the same as always;
If you have a cooking related fire (chip pan or any other) turn off the heat if safe to do so, get out, call the fire service out and stay out.
Outdated so called advice is dangerous - if in doubt refer to http://www.fire.gov.uk