#fire & safety

[the-whimsigoth-witch]

Not my usual content, but fire safety is SOOOOOOOOOOO important

Please stay safe out there guys no ‘splosions ok?

Understand PYROLISYS and stop your house from burning down!!

Pyrolisis: the chemical change that occurs in wood and other materials, lowering the material combustion point in response to repeated heating at even relatively low temperatures such as around 200F.

aka,

the chemical or thermal decomposition of a material when it is exposed to heat

THIS MEANS that if you repeatedly heat something up to pretty high temperatures - like, stuff that's stored near offering candles that repeatedly get hot to the touch -

THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THOSE OBJECTS DEGRADES, AND LOWERS THE COMBUSTION POINT.

The chemical change of pyrolysis lowers the temperature at which a substance will catch fire. What may be surprising is that wood exposed to temperatures as low as 200 degF. can over time be changed such that its ignition point or combustion point is significantly lowered.

Repeated exposure to high temperatures changes the composition of things!!

Just because your mason jar candle holder didn't explode the first time a little fire got out of control, does not mean it will never explode.

It may explode the 5th, 10th, or 15th time you let a fire get out of control.

As things are repeatedly introduced to high temperatures they are not designed to handle, the little bits inside degrade.

When you burn candles or small fires, nothing in the vicinity should be getting hot. No figurines, no altar cloths, no curtains, no shelves, not the surface the fire-holder is sitting on.

If your candle holder is not fire-safe (which you should never use), never allow it to get hot. Maybe you have to put it in a bigger basin with water to dissipate heat, idk.

IF YOU ARE AWARE YOU ARE USING A CANDLE HOLDER OR FIRE BOWL THAT IS NOT FIRE SAFE (WHICH YOU SHOULD NEVER USE), ONLY USE IT IN A FIRE-SAFER AREA, LIKE IN A BATHTUB, OUTSIDE ON CONCRETE, OR IN A TALL METAL POT WITH A LID TO SUFFOCATE FLAMES. This is the same concept as assuming a gun is loaded and never pointing it at anyone.

You can use many random objects to contain fire that will not catch on fire or explode the first times you use them.

The problem is DOWN THE LINE, when you have exposed non-fire-safe materials to heat they were not designed to handle over and over again.

Definition & Explanation of Pyrolysis

[aesethewitch]

Witches will be like "my spell candle did something weird!!! Is this a sign????" And they'll show you the before and after pics for reference and.

By god in the first picture, the candle is loaded with plastic glitter and too many herbs all around the wick and a thick sheen of vegetable oil and essential oils. And the second picture is a shattered glass plate and wax absolutely everywhere and scorch marks on the table and.

Babes that isn't "weird" and the only "sign" here is that you have no concept of candle safety!!!!

[archerinventive]

Ended up being out of reception range this past Fire Friday, so heres my belated post. :)

These photos come to us from this years Sha'bang festival, where Ashmo_fire and I had the pleasure of performing alongside a selection of talent fireperformers for Saturdays evening show.

A huge thank you to Avery Sharp for coordinating the show and to Trevor Howard of htj2_photohraphy for capturing the moment. :)

We can't wait to return to that inspiring venue in years to come. :)

[sweetreveriee]

WILDFIRE AID RESOURCES MASTERLIST

these are all the places ive found helping those affected by the la fires. please stay safe everyone <3

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FREE THINGS:

Planet Fitness Offers Free Things (ends January 15)

Form To Get Free Temporary Housing From AirBnB (space limited, eligibility criteria required)

List of Restaurants Offering Free Meals (updated January 9)

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UPDATED MAPS:

CalFire

Watch Duty

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INFORMATION:

List of Updated Info

Spreadsheet of Resources (by location and type of aid)

If you have anything to add to the list linked above, comment here

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SHELTER:

If you need shelter, text "SHELTER" and your zip code to 43362 for nearest open shelters

open shelters:

Arcadia Community Center – 375 Campus Drive, Arcadia, CA 91007

Ritchie Valens Recreation Center – 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Pacoima, CA 91331

Pan Pacific Recreational Center – 7600 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90036

Westwood Recreation Center – 1350 Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025

El Camino Real Charter High School – 5440 Valley Circle Blvd, Woodland Hills, CA 91367

Pasadena Civic Center – 300 East Green Street, Pasadena, CA 91101

Pomona Fairplex – 1101 W McKinley Ave, Pomona, CA 91768

YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles - locations unaffected by fire are open and providing free childcare to those who need it. also offering evacuation sites, temporary shelter, basic amenities, and showers.

for updates and locations click here

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TRANSPORTATION:

CalTrans Updated Road Closure List

Fare collection suspended at Metro through January 9. A list of updates and changes that occurred because of the fires and winds can be found here.

Lyft is offering two free rides of 25$ each (50$ total) for 500 riders using code CAFIRERELIEF25. offer ends January 15.

Uber is offering a free ride of up to 40$ for those who use code WILFIRE25 in the wallet section of the app

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ANIMAL CARE:

List of Shelters (check capacity and availability)

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MENTAL HEALTH:

LA County set up a 24/7 hotline to help with anxiety, distress, and grief. Call (800) 854-7771.

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WHAT TO PACK:

remember the six p's:

people and pets

papers, phone numbers and important documents

prescriptions, vitamins, and eyeglasses

pictures and irreplaceable memorabilia

personal computer, hard drive, and disks

plastic (debit, credit, ATM cards) and cash

what to put in your "go bag":

face masks/face coverings

three-day food supply (nonperishable)

three gallons of bottled water per person

map marked with AT LEAST two evacuation routes

basic first aid and medical supplies

sanitation supplies

toothbrushes, toothpaste, hair brush, deodorant

period products

prescriptions and medications

a change of clothes (bring AT LEAST one warm coat)

spare eyeglasses or contacts (if needed)

extra set of car keys

chargers for your devices

cash, credit/debit cards, traveler's checks

flashlight

battery powered radio

EXTRA BATTERIES

(copies of) important documents such as birth certificates, passports, insurance, a list of emergency contacts and phone numbers

your wallet (ID CARD)

food, water, and meds for your pets (checklist here)

a can opener

not necessary but you might want to bring:

valuable items that can be easily carried

family pictures that cannot be replaced

blankets

more than a day's worth of clothes

important school supplies (for students)

books

trophies, medals, certificates, awards

pens and paper

self defense tools (pepper spray, pocket knives, etc) (NOT ENCOURAGING VIOLENCE. FOR SELF DEFENSE ONLY)

extra shoes

fuzzy socks

non-essential hygiene products

gum/breath mints

ALWAYS PREPARE BEFOREHAND. EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT DIRECTLY IMPACTED, THE FIRES CAN GROW. KEEP YOUR BAGS IN THE CAR SO YOU CAN EVACUATE QUICKLY IF NEEDED.

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WANT TO HELP?

Best Friends Animal Society

LA Fire Department (donations sent directly to first responders)

LA Food Bank

LA Works

MusiCares

Salvation Army

Santa D'Or (in need of fosters for displaced cats)

Silverlake Lounge (also offering a communal gathering place)

Sweet Relief Musicians Fund

Dream Center (in need of volunteers + non-perishable food items)

The Red Cross

We Are Moving the Needle

World Central Kitchen

United Way of Greater LA

As of January 9, the Westwood Recreation Center and Pan Pacific Park are at full capacity and not accepting additional donations. Check with all organizations by phone, text, or email before donating if possible.

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IF THERE'S ANYTHING I MISSED OR MESSED UP PLEASE ADD IT OR LET ME KNOW SO I CAN FIX IT. REBLOG TO SPREAD AWARENESS!!!!!!!! stay safe everyone

[fernthewhimsical]

Rant on fire safety

While absolutely gorgeous, I HATE this trend of "aesthetic candles". This is from a local witch shop, that sells these candles. Look at it! It's an absolute fire hazard. A plastic flower molten into the wax. You should not have plastic anywhere near a candle flame. Look at the glitter. Guess what? ALSO PLASTIC.

At best it's gonna smell horrendous, because molten plastic stinks. But burn enough of these candles and you're likely to give yourself cancer. Yes, you read that right. Do no inhale fumes of molten plastic!

Stop making candles with materials that shouldn't be burnt! ffs

[shalom-iamcominghome]

Genuine tip: please keep fire extinguishers nearby if you're lighting your chanukiah especially if it's more than, like, one or two

Sincerely,

A guy who just watched a family almost start a house fire on accident (Too Many chanukiot)

[relaxedstyles]

How???

[thecaywild]

Shall I be your fire safety teacher

[jasper-pagan-witch]

Witch tip: A lot more things are flammable than you think, and the things you already know are flammable are even more flammable than you thought. Buy a fire extinguisher.

[bunnis-monsters]

Y’all!! I just saved my family.

We left some food on the stove(not great, I know) and one of the dogs turned one of the knobs while trying to get to it.

Our house was full of smoke(exaggerating, but it was enough to cause alarm) and the detectors hadn’t gone off. I went downstairs and thankfully a fire hadn’t started yet, so I turned off the burner and moved the leftovers over to cool off.

Dad’s a firefighter, says that I probably saved everyone’s lives and/or our house tonight by noticing it before it was too late

Don’t leave anything on the stove at night, make sure your smoke detectors have batteries and that you and your family know what your fire escape plan is. Teach your kids and/or younger family members how to be safe

It may just save your life

[hestiashearthfire]

Gentle reminder as we go into 2024 to please practice fire safety when giving offerings. If you have live candles and incense on your altar, never leave them unattended, and always keep a bowl of water nearby for safely extinguishing any lit matches, incense sticks, or other flammable items. You can even get fancy and have a dedicated water bowl if you must, but be safe. Fire is pretty, but dangerous.

[coffentyme]

Hey- so, not a normal post for me, but if you have mutual(s) living in BC or Northern Alberta, Canada please keep them in your thoughts. Wildfire season is no joke and we’re now entering evacuation season too. Jasper, AB has already been evacuated due to severe wildfires ranging over hundreds of hectares worth of forest, and now a sect of my home town has received an evacuation alert as well from a lighting caused fire of over 133 hectares and is rapidly growing by the hour.

Knock on wood but times are getting extremely worrisome, each summer is getting hotter and more deadly than the last, and people are being displaced from their homes at an alarming rate. Not just people but their animals too.

I know in the grand scheme of things this is not the most troubling thing happening in our world but it’s scary none the less.

A gentle reminder for any one living in BC or Alberta, Canada. Be prepared, be informed, and be ready. If you haven’t already you can download the BC WILDFIRE SERVICE app to keep updated on fires in your area, updates, notices, evacuation alerts, etc.

Please don’t forget to love one another and help your neighbours. Please reblog if you can ❤️

[fatphobiabusters]

Hey, sorry if this is a weird question but I'm trying to learn more since I honestly wasn't educated about fatphobia before and I'm trying to fix that (especially now that I won't be a teen in a few months and my mom could be considered fat and I love food so like we all know the body type I'll have in a few years). I often see people say that being fat is bad because people like firefighters and nurses get injured when saving/caring for them and I'd like to know if there's any way to like.. fix that? I obviously don't want very poorly compensated people risking their lives to get injured more than they have to but I also don't think policing people's bodies is right...

Hmmm where to start. The thing is nurses are understaffed, often asked to move patients by themselves when they shouldn't be. It's not just fat people that can injure a nurse, anyone who can't assist on their own lifting can. Lifting say, 180 pounds from the floor is risky, Hospital beds are closer to the average person waist plus there are handles and bars for the patient to assist. Rolling a patient in bed is difficult, again if the patient can't assist. Making sure staff is getting help is crucial. They wouldn't let me move myself from the bed I was on, onto the surgery table but it was quick and took three people to properly nest me and slide me over. (I was going in for gallbladder surgery) there were multiple people who could have assisted in the room if they needed more. So really, fighting under staffing and over working in the medical field is key.

Im not as familiar with fire fighting techniques however I know that there's an issue of businesses not having Evac Chairs or sleds for the physically disabled. I'm thinking of the brand Evac Chairs but ANY such device is useful.

Im looking at the sleds:

This goes up to 440

This one goes up to 500 carrying capacity!

These should be part of fire and rescue training and provided to the rescuers for public safety. Any business that sees a large amount of foot traffic should have these on site. (I don't expect a small mom and pop shop to have one, but Walmart should. Hospitals should.)

So basically: proper training, the right equipment and proper staff. These all play a role in how to circumvent awful situations.

Also take the consideration of what these people say "it's bad to be fat because nurses and fire fighters" these types of people are one bad turn from saying "it's bad to be in a wheelchair because it's too hard for fire rescue" or "it's bad to need nurses to turn you to prevent bed sores" they think, fundamentally, that fat people choose to be fat so we deserve less empathy. And even if it was 100% a choice for every person, it doesn't mean we don't deserve care and common sense accomedations. You can't say you respect bodily autonomy and support disability rights if your support is conditional. Only supporting "the good ones" is a policy in futility.

As an aside: check your smoke detectors and reduce fire hazards. Know your exits and keep low to the floor if there's smoke. Regardless of size people get real relaxed with fire safety because it's rare it's an issue. Some basic things is all you can do so please do them or have someone your trust to do them.

-mod squirrel

[nyxiathewander]

Here's your daily reminder not to leave your candles unattended when lit.

Practice fire safety y'all

[seasaltdevotion]

Very important reminder

Especially for new Helpols*

Please, please, PLEASE practice fire safety with your candles. If you are leaving your space, put out your candle. The gods will not be mad at you for doing so. Do not leave candles unattended.

I’ve seen so many newbies leaving candles alone with them melting everywhere, and it’s a horrible fire hazard. Please be safe.

Also please do research into Pyromancy as it is not the most reliable form of divination. Things like the airflow, the candle itself and other outside factors influence how it burns, not just the gods.

Once again please be safe and educated.

Blessed be 🌊