May it remain a phobia

Fear of a fire engulfing my home is amongst my worst nightmares.

Old buildings with wooden staircases are most vulnerable. Outdated, illegal, and poorly-maintained wiring make things much worse.

Rehearsals of emergency routines until the fire brigade arrives are most important in such circumstances. Here is a link to a photograph and a report on how the effects of fires can be contained through prior planning.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4812896a11.html

(Please copy the URL to your browser: the link facility here does not work at the time of posting).

We are fortunate that fires are unlikely. However, it does tend to lull us in to complacence.

Have your house, offices, warehouses, and manufacturing sites been assessed for fire safety? Are you prepared to deal with a conflagration? I have worked with chemicals. That is why I am paranoid about containing water and powder used to fight fires.

I hope this post will never be put to any test in real life.