Fire blankets as complements of extinguishers

Parting from the principle of the best performance before a fire is to avoid its happening, fire blankets are assigned with the extinguishers' complement category and any other type of system device against a fire.

If we know how to use a fire blanket in its adequate moment, we could prevent that fire spreads and not use any other display for its extinction. With a fire blanket we could suffocate a fire in its first stage, avoiding its spreading, material losses, major efforts and even human losses.

Fire blankets as well as extinguishers are called actuation elements to prevent or extinguish fires, both are complemented with each other.

• Blankets don't stop the fire, it suffocates its starting: first flames; extinguishers stop fires, but its useful life is short (even in this phase we could use a fire blanket that protect us to escape the affected area by fire).
• The use of an extinguisher requires trained personnel to use it.

To reach the best protection and safety before a fire, it is recommended to have a fire blanket.

Fire blankets allow a fast and efficient action in the case of small fires, are very functional, simply take them off and display, they don't need any training to use it, simply display them over the firing object, they help to suffocate first fire connotes, and even they protect us in big fires, allowing us to leave the area by covering with them.

In some risk prevention manuals in some autonomous communities, industrial sectors, hostelry, public and state services, indicate the need to dispose of dire blankets as a rapid actuation element in the first stage of a fire.

UNE EN 1869/1997 is the regulation that credits this blanket as suitable to be used to stop fires. It meets the Effectivity against fire Test and for its use as a personal protective element against fire.

In this way, to have the best protection and safety before a fire, it is recommended to have in the adequate place a fire blanket next to an extinguisher as a supporting element in case of fire accidents.