Umlilo! Sisiphi Isicima-mlilo Ofanele Usisebenzise?

KUKANGAPHI sidlula kwibhotile yesicima-mlilo eseludongeni singayihoyi kangako! Kodwa, ngaminazana ithile isenokukhusela iofisi okanye umzi-mveliso wethu ekutsheni ube luthuthu. Izicima-mlilo ezincinane zinokunceda ekuthinteleni ingxaki encinane—ukutsha kwepani esitovini okanye ukutshiswa komdiyadiya sisifudumezi—ukuze ingabi yengenakulawuleka. Njengezixhobo zoncedo olukhawulezileyo, zenzelwe ukutshitshisa utshaba olukhohlakeleyo ngaphambi kokuba lube namandla.

Ngenxa yokuba olu tshaba lusiza ngeendlela ezininzi—umlilo wamaplanga, umlilo weoli negesi, umlilo obangelwa ngumbane—izicima-mlilo ezincinane nazo ziziindidi ngeendidi. Ngokuqhelekileyo, uye uthande ukwazi utshaba lwakho nezixhobo ngokufanayo. Oku akuthethi ukuba kufuneka ube yingcaphephe yomcimi-mlilo, kodwa kuhle ukwazi iindlela ezisisiseko. Ngokomzekelo, ubuya kwenza njani kule meko ilandelayo?

Umpheki wayefudumeza eontini iipani ezintsha ezingama-20 eziqatywe amafutha, elungiselela ukubhaka isonka. Noko ke, isixhobo sokulawula ubushushu sasingasebenzi kakuhle, baza ubushushu begqithisa, nto leyo eyenza la mafutha atsha. Efake iiglavu ezandleni, lo mpheki, ngokukhawuleza wavula ionti waza wakhupha ezi pani. Kodwa xa wenza oko, la mafutha atsha adibana nomoya. Granga! Umlilo okhawulezileyo wathumela amalangatye eluphahleni. Engenawo nomkrwelo, lo mpheki wabuya ephethe isicima-mlilo esinekharbhon diokside waza wacima loo mlilo. Kodwa kwakhawuleza kwaqulungana esinye isisi, yale la mafutha alumeka umlilo. Oku kwenzeka ngokuphindwe kane! Esoyikela ukuba esi sicima-mlilo siza kuphelelwa, lo mpheki wathi rhuthu ingxowa yokucima umlilo kwisingxobo sayo esikufutshane waza wayiphosa phezu kwezo pani. Kwathi hu kuye, kuba yawucima loo mlilo—yaba iyawoyisa ke.

Kungokwemvelo ukuba sifune ukusebenzisa esona sixhobo siluncedo sikhoyo ukuze sicime umlilo omncinane kodwa oxhalabisayo. Kodwa ukuba lo mpheki wayazile ngokuntumeka komlilo ngokukhawuleza—ingakumbi xa kukho umsi—ngewayesuke nje wacima ionti, wavala iminyango waza wavumela le onti yazipholela nje ngokuqhelekileyo. Okanye ngewayeqale ngokusebenzisa le ngxowa yokucima umlilo aze ke xa kuyimfuneko asebenzise isicima-mlilo esinekharbhon diokside. Enoba kutheni na, la mava abonisa ukubaluleka kolwazi olusisiseko ngomlilo nendlela eluncedo yokuwucima.

“Unxantathu” Ophemba Umlilo

Oko kubizwa ngokuba ngunxantathu womlilo yindlela nje efuna usebenzise ingqondo yokuphelisa ukutsha: amafutha kunye neoksijin kunye nobushushu ezo zinto zidala umlilo. Susa nje ibe nye kuzo, yaye akusayi kuphelela nje ekucimeni umlilo kodwa uya kuthintela ongakumbi. Makhe sibone indlela okwenzeka ngayo oku.

AMAFUTHA: Kanye njengathi, ngaphandle kokutya umlilo uyafa. Abacimi-mlilo bancedwa yiloo nto kwimililo yamahlathi neyamathafa ngokuthi benze ibala phakathi emlilweni. Xa kusekhitshini, ukuphelisa amafutha kusenokuthetha nje ukucima igesi. Noko ke, kwezinye iimeko kusenokuba nzima ukuphelisa amafutha okanye kungabi nakwenzeka.

IOKSIJIN: Kwakhona njengathi umlilo ufanele uphefumle. Phosa umhlakulo ozele inkunkuma okanye ingxowa yokucima umlilo yaye awusayi kuqhubeka. Kambe ke, akuyomfuneko ukuba ide ingabikho ngokupheleleyo ioksijin ukuze umlilo udambe. Ukuba nje uyawunciphisa umlinganiselo oqhelekileyo weoksijin ongama-21 ekhulwini kumoya oqhelekileyo uye kutsho kwi-15 ekhulwini, izinto ezininzi—ngokomzekelo izinto eziwuthathayo umlilo ezilulwelo neziqinileyo—azisayi kuvutha.

UBUSHUSHU: Ubushushu obunokuqalisa umlilo bunokuvela kwisifudumezi, esitovini, kwiplagi yombane ekuxokonyezelelwe izinto ezininzi kuyo, kwintlantsi okanye ilahle, xa kubaneka okanye kubushushu obuvela kwizityalo ezibolayo, kwimichiza etsha msinya okanye kwezinye izinto eziliqela. Khumbula ukuba, ukuba ubona isisi, ingakumbi ukuba sibangelwa ngamafutha okanye ioli yokupheka sisiya kumthombo wobushushu, kusenokwenzeka ukuba kuza kulandela umlilo okhawulezileyo.

Zenzelwe Naluphi Na Uhlobo Lomlilo Ongephi

Ngoxa amakhaya amaninzi engenazo izicima-mlilo, imizi-mveliso, iiofisi nezakhiwo zikawonke-wonke zimele ngokusemthethweni zibe nazo. Eziqhelekileyo zezisebenzisa amanzi, imichiza elulwelo, ugwebu, umgubo owomileyo nekharbhon diokside. Izicima-mlilo ezisebenzisa ihalon ziyekiwe kuba kucingelwa ukuba zonakalisa umaleko weozone kwimeko-bume yomhlaba. Ukunceda abantu bakhethe isicima-mlilo esifanelekileyo ngexesha longxamiseko, uninzi lwazo lunemifanekiso ebonisa apho zinokusetyenziswa khona nalapho kungenakwenziwa njalo khona, okanye zisenokuba nemibalabala. Yaye uninzi lwazo lunonobumba, onjengoA, B okanye uC, obonisa uhlobo oluthile lomlilo. Igesi enoxinezeleko ityhala umchiza ongaphakathi uphume ngamandla xa icinezelwe. Ngenxa yokuba izicima-mlilo zinegesi enoxinezeleko, kufuneka zivavanywe maxa wambi. Yaye izicima-mlilo zifanele zibekwe ngasemnyango yaye kube lula ukuzifikelela. Ngokufutshane nje makhe sihlolisise didi ngalunye lwesicima-mlilo.

Izicima-mlilo ezinomgubo owomileyo zisebenzisa imichiza ukuze zithintele umlilo ibe ziphantse zibe zezona zicima-mlilo zisetyenziswa ehlabathini lonke. Lo mgubo awusebenzi nje kuphela kudidi A noB kodwa ukwaluncedo nakudidi C olungumlilo (obangelwa zizixhobo zombane.) Kuyabonakala ukuba, esi sicima-mlilo sisebenza kwiindidi ezininzi siluncedo kakhulu ekhayeni lakho. Lo mgubo womileyo udla ngokungcolisa—kodwa oko kungcola akwenzi nto kangako!

Izicima-mlilo ezinamanzi axinzelelweyo ziluncedo kumlilo obandakanya amaphepha, amaplanga, iplastiki, inkunkuma okanye ilaphu. Olu didi lomlilo kudla ngokuthiwa ludidi A. Amandla amanzi okucima umlilo abangelwa kukukwazi kwawo ukutsala ubushushu. Xa emaninzi ngokwaneleyo, amanzi ayakwazi ukubufunxa ngokukhawuleza ubushushu obuveliswa ngumlilo, yaye ngenxa yoko umlilo uyaphela. Kodwa musa ukusebenzisa amanzi kulwelo oluwuthatha lula umlilo. Oko kuya kuwandisa umlilo—kuwenze ube lidangatye! Kwakhona, ngenxa yokuba amanzi encedisana nombane, akufanele uwasebenzise okanye nasiphi na esinye isicima-mlilo esinamanzi apho kusenokubakho iingcingo ezinombane.

Izicima-mlilo ezinemichiza elulwelo zikhupha umxube oxinzelelweyo wealkali esemanzini elwa kakhulu namafutha neeoli zokupheka kodwa ayinakuyenza nto ipetroli. Kwakhona iyakwazi ukulwa nomlilo okudidi A.

Izicima-mlilo ezinogwebu zisebenza kakuhle, kungekuphela nje kumlilo okudidi A kodwa ubukhulu becala kumlilo obangelwa lulwelo oluwuthatha msinya umlilo (iioli ezisetyenziswa kwimizi-mveliso), ngokuqhelekileyo obizwa ngokuba ngumlilo okudidi B. Zimbini iindidi zezicima-mlilo ezinogwebu, ngoko khangela esinokukunceda kakhulu. Xa sisetyenziswa kulwelo olutshayo, siyawabulala amadangatye size sigxothe neoksijin. Ngenxa yoko, olu gwebu lufanele lufakwe ngocoselelo ukuze lungangeni kolu lwelo kodwa luhlale ngaphezu kwalo. Lumka ungasebenzisi olu lwelo kufutshane nombane.

Izicima-mlilo ezinekharbhon diokside zinokusetyenziswa kulo lonke udidi lomlilo ngaphandle komlilo obangelwa yigesi. Zincedwa kukuba ikharbhon diokside ithabathel’ indawo ioksijin. Kodwa njengoko sesibonile ngaphambilana, ukuba into etshayo ihlala ishushu isenokuphinda iqhwithe. Ikharbhon diokside yigesi, ngoko indawo enempepho nevulekileyo isenokuyenza ingasebenzi kakuhle. Noko ke, ukucoceka kwayo kuyenza ibe sesona sicima-mlilo sisetyenziswayo koomatshini abacekeceke nakwizinto zombane. Noko ke, kwiindawo ezivalekileyo ikharbhon diokside inokukurhaxa, ngoko ukuba uyayisebenzisa kwindawo enjalo, yishiye loo ndawo wakuphela umlilo uze uvale umnyangoemva kokuba uphumile.

Ingxowa yokucima umliloa sisicima-mlilo esisebenzisekayo, esiluncedo kumlilo omncinane nokwindawana ethile njengalowo ubakho kwisitovu sasekhitshini okanye kwinxalenye encinane yekhaphethi. Ukhupha le ngxowa kwisingxobo sayo esiseludongeni, uyitwabululele ngaphambi kwakho ukuze uzikhusele kumadangatye uze ubeke le ngxowa emlilweni. Kambe ke, ukuba ubungekenzi ngolo hlobo, cima umthombo wobushushu ngokukhawuleza kangangoko kunokwenzeka.

Iingxowa zokucima umlilo ziyanceda naxa impahla yakho iye yathatha umlilo. Kuloo meko, khumbula lo mgaqo ubalulekileyo: “Yima, uziwise phantsi, uze uziqengqe.” Ungaze ubaleke; uyawavuselela amadangatye ngokwenjenjalo. Ukuba wena okanye omnye umntu unokukusongela ngengxowa yokucima umlilo njengoko uziqengqa, uya kuwucima ngokukhawuleza ngakumbi umlilo.

Eyona Nto Ibaluleke Nangaphezu Kwezicima-mlilo

Kambe ke, eyona ndlela ilunge ngakumbi yokukhusela umlilo kukuwuthintela; ngoko lumka. Abantwana mabangayifumani imicinga nezinto zokuqhwitha. Susa zonke izinto ezisesitovini okanye ecaleni kwaso ezinokubangela umlilo. Ungaze upheke unxibe iimpahla ezinemikhono ewaku-waku enokuthatha umlilo. Faka izinto ezikwaziyo ukuva isisi ekhayeni lakho.

Nanga amanye amacebiso awongezelelekileyo. Ungaze ufake iiplagi ezininzi embaneni okanye kwiintambo zokuwutsala. Ungaze ushiye amafutha okanye iioli ziphekiwe kungekho mntu kwisitovu esishushu. Yilumkele indawo osibeka kuyo isifudumezi. Ukuba unamatanki egesi, iziciko zawo—eyona nto inokubangela umlilo—mazibe kude nesakhiwo. Sebenzisa iifyuzi zombane zobukhulu obufanelekileyo. Zitshintshe iintambo zombane ezonakeleyo.

Ngaba uye waziqeqeshela ukucima umlilo ekhayeni lakho? Olu qeqesho lunokusindisa ubomi. Yenza amalungiselelo okuba intsapho idibane kwindawo ethile—kuyo nayiphi na indawo ebonakalayo nekhuselekileyo onokukwazi ukuyifumana imini nobusuku. Yaye yaba iimbopheleleko: Ngubani oza kuncedisa abantwana okanye abantu abangakwazi kuzenzela nto ukuze basinde? Ngubani oza kutsalela umnxeba iziko lomlilo? Ewe, ukuziqeqesha kusindisa ubomi kuba kunceda umntu asabele ngendlela efanelekileyo nto leyo eyenza izinto zikhawuleze.

Ukuba Kunokwehla Intlekele

Khumbula ukuba, izinto zinokuphinda zifunyanwe kodwa akunjalo ngobomi. Ungaze ubeke ubomi bakho esichengeni ngokulwa nomlilo. Noko ke, ukuba ukhuselekile ukuba ungalwa nomlilo, wucime umi ngakwicala onokukwazi ukuphuma ngalo. Kodwa ukuba uyathandabuza ukuba isicima-mlilo onaso sifanelekile okanye ukuba woyikela ukuba umlilo mkhulu kakhulu kunaso, phuma apho ngokukhawuleza uze utsalele umnxeba iziko lomlilo.

Kwakhona phawula ukuba isisi esibangelwa yimixube nesiyingozi, sibulala abantu abangakumbi kunokuba esenza amadangatye—sinokubulala kwimizuzu nje engaphantsi kwemibini! Ngoko xa uphuma esakhiweni esitshayo, thoba intloko. Akukho sisi singako emgangathweni, yaye umoya upholile. Ukuba kunokwenzeka beka ilaphu elimanzi emlonyeni. Ngaphambi kokusebenzisa umnyango, wubambe ngomva wesandla. Ukuba ushushu, ukho umlilo ngaphaya kwawo; funa enye indawo yokuphuma. Yaye vala yonke iminyango njengoko uphuma. Loo nto yenza umlilo ungafumani oksijin ininzi. Kambe ke, izinyusi akunakuzisebenzisa xa kusitsha—zisenokukuvalela zize zifane neonti!

Ngoko ukuba ufuna ukuthenga into yokukhusela umlilo yekhaya, inqwelo-mafutha, okanye ishishini lakho, kusenokuba kokulunge ngakumbi ukuxubusha lo mbandela namagunya ecandelo lomlilo akufutshane nawe. Inkcazelo ecace ngakumbi isenokwahluka ngokwamazwe ngamazwe yaye kusenokusebenza nezinye izinto ezingekhoyo kweli nqaku.

Enoba kutheni, xa uphinda ubona ezo zicima-mlilo zincinane, yima kancinane uze uqhelane nazo. Zisenokukunceda kakhulu ngenye imini.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umzobo/Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 25]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

UMLILO

amafutha

ubushushu

ioksijin

[Imifanekiso]

UDIDI A

UDIDI B

[Inkcazelo]

Chubb Fire Safety

[Umzobo okwiphepha 26]

(Ukuba ufuna inkcazelo ehlahlelwe kakuhle, yiya kwimpapasho)

Ukuba impahla yakho ithatha umlilo, musa ukubaleka

1. YIMA

2. ZIWISE PHANTSI

3. ZIQENGQE

[Inkcazelo]

© Coastal Training Technologies Corp. Reproduced by Permission

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

Zininzi izicima-mlilo ezifeza iinjongo ezahlukahlukeneyo ekhaya

[Inkcazelo]

Above illustration: Reprinted with permission from NFPA 10-1998, Portable Fire Extinguishers, Copyright © 1998, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, Massachusetts 02269. This reprinted material is not the complete and official position of the NFPA on the referenced subject which is represented only by the standard in its entirety.