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One of the main aspects of fire safety it preventing fires from starting in the first place. A starting point is always the Fire Risk Assessment, but some knowledge of basic fire science and prevention techniques is important to get the most from this assessment.
Fire - the basics
 There are three elements to any fire:
- A source of fuel that is flammable
- A flame or other source of heat
- Oxygen from air or other sources
These three are known as The Fire Triangle. Without any of of these three parts, the fire will not start or continue to burn.
Fire is a chemical reaction that by its very nature will grow because of the heat it produces, unless one of the three elements of the triangle is removed or the balance is significantly altered. Fire growth can be relatively slow to begin with in the case of some materials, but will soon increase as more heat is generated. Many fires will involve a whole room within a matter of minutes so this is why early detection of fires is so important.
The largest risk to life with fire is not the heat and flames but the smoke. With a typical bonfire or barbecue burning outside, the smoke is allowed to escape and disperse in the air, but with a fire in a building, the smoke is trapped inside and can reach toxic levels very rapidly.
Smoke contains amongst other things:
- Soot particles, which can enter the respiratory system and cause irritation
- Chemicals that could have toxic effects on the body
- Carbon dioxide which can cause breathing difficulties
- Carbon monoxide which causes a limit to the oxygen taken up by the lungs into the bloodstream
- Burning embers which can burn skin on contact
The smoke will usually rise and will quickly obstruct light fittings, making rooms very dark. Additionally, smoke reduces visibility in general and this, along with other things like loud alarm sirens and the discharge from extinguishers, can make the whole situation very disorientating.
Many fires can easily reach hundreds, if not thousands, of degrees Celsius at the seat of the fire. Such temperatures can do major damage to building structures, furniture, fittings and fixtures.
The smoke given off by the fire can permanently scar walls with a impervious coating if certain materials are involved in the fire. One of the more commonly known examples in Churches and Places of Worship is plastic seating, which has caused damage to buildings in some fires in the past.
Classes of fire
Fires can be categorised depending on the materials that are involved. It is important to know the kinds of materials that could burn because the methods used to extinguish a fire would vary from one class of material to another.
- Class A - fires involving materials such as wood, paper and textiles. These usually burn with embers, giving off considerable amounts of smoke but not much heat.
- Class B - fires involving flammable liquids or solids that liquify (such as candle wax). These usually burn freely, giving off much heat.
- Class C - fires involving gas. These usually burn freely, giving off much heat.
- Class D - fires involving flammable metals.
- Class F - fires involving cooking oils or fats.
The categories are used for fire extinguishers as part of their rating.
Sometimes an additional category of "Class E" is used. This is used to indicate that the fire involves live electrical equipment. This category is never used on its own as an electrical fire will always include other classes of fire.
How fire can start - Ignition Sources
Potential fire sources include anything that gets hot (including moving parts of machinery), gives off sparks or has naked flames - whether in the normal operating condition or if a fault should develop. Some typical sources include:
- Smokers materials
- Candles and other naked flames
- Matches and lighters, especially in the hands of children who might play with them
- Heaters, boiler systems and other heating equipment
- Cookers, microwaves and other cooking or food preparation equipment
- Electrical appliances and installations
- Moving parts of machinery, where friction can cause the build up of heat
- Arson
- Maintenance works including hot works (work such as plumbing which requires the use of naked flames)
When these ignition sources are placed close to flammable materials, there is a greater risk of fire than if they were separated. This leads onto a basic rule of thumb of fire prevention - avoid placing things that could catch fire close to the things that could ignite the fire or remove the ignition source completely. An example of this would be to place candles on a stone surface using holders made out of metal. This breaks the Fire Triangle above.
Sometimes, this rule is difficult or impossible to implement, in which case we need to use a second technique. Fire resistance can make some materials resistant to fire and is usually easily applied for many fabrics and other materials. As a rule of thumb, natural materials (like wood) do not need fire proofing but man-made materials (like fabric and carpet) need to be fire resistant. Fabrics and other materials may be coated in special fluids that are available from theatre supplies companies and some large retailers.
Special fire resistant paints are available and the one that has the best fire retardant qualities is known as 'Class 0'.
Awareness of fire hazards
Preventing fire from starting often is a matter of being aware of the things that could catch fire and those things that could start a fire and then taking action to reduce the possibilities as low as possible. This is the basis of Fire Risk Assessment. Some practical things that you could consider are listed below:
 Candles are often used in Places of Worship. Only ever use proof holders and keep them clear of flammable materials. Children should normally not be encouraged to light or put out candles, unless they are very closely supervised. It is recommended that the candle flame is enclosed, for example, in glass. It is also recommended that the number of candles be kept to the minimum possible and materials are put away after use.
 Look after all you equipment by maintaining it and keep the building in a good state of repair. Dust can be a source of fuel for fire so ensure lighting and heating equipment is kept clean. Electrical equipment should be tested for electrical safety and the installation wiring should be inspected periodically.
Equipment like heaters must be treated with care. Do not use portable radiant bar heaters and avoid heaters that use flames (except for heating system boilers). Heaters must be fixed so that heat-producing parts are kept away from flammable surfaces (for example, when they are mounted under pews). Portable heaters must be fitted with a safety cut-out device, which will cut off the heater if it overheats or tips over.
Lighting situated for the organ (both for the use of someone playing the organ and for those who tune or maintain the instrument) should be low-powered, preferably fluorescent or compact-fluorescent 'low energy' lamps. Use high-powered stage lighting with care - keep it away from wood, fabrics and other materials that could catch fire especially floor mounted 'par cans'. Maintain projectors so that the air intake and vents are kept clear and the filters are cleaned periodically.
Some cleaning chemicals, paints and many other chemicals that are used in Places of Worship are flammable. Some substances like bottled gas need special attention and should be stored in well ventilated areas, preferably outside and away from pools of water and sheltered from the rain to stop the containers rusting.
Do not store rubbish, bins and skips next to the outside of the building as a fire could easily spread to the whole building. A fire directly outside the building can easily spread to inside the building because the heat of the fire can carry embers into the eaves. Do not light fires close to your Place of Worship, and don't place things like bins or skips next to the building.
Flower arrangements can become tinder dry if they are too close to a heater, light or candles. Don't light candles directly below flower arrangements and ensure that the flame is always well away from foliage.
Smoking can cause fires and could set off a smoke detector on a fire alarm system. Smoking has been banned by legislation, but some people might be tempted not to obey this law and choose somewhere to take a quick cigarette break. Be aware that smokers might try to hide these activities by choosing store rooms, basements and other out-of-the-way areas, and might not dispose of their smokers waste, causing a build up of flammable material.
Arson attacks affect many Places of Worship each year and preventing this kind of attack is usually a simple matter of improving security, like fitting quality locks on the front door. Keep anything that could be used to start a fire locked away - including matches, candles and cleaning chemicals and ensure that items that could be of interest such as artefacts and communion wine are locked away.
Exit Routes
The most important thing you have in your building are your exits and fire exits, along with all the corridors and areas that make up the exit routes. People in the fire safety industry know these areas as 'Means of Escape'. You need to take extra special care to prevent a fire starting or spreading in these areas in your Place of Worship.
For this reason, there are some rules about what you cannot have in these areas because they might hamper evacuation. The list includes:
- Portable heating equipment (including electric heaters) or heating equipment that uses naked flames;
- Lighting equipment that is not part of the fixed mains wiring;
- Bins and rubbish bags;
- Notice boards (unless small and the notices are kept firmly pinned onto the board).
Many building have 'fire doors' that are designed to prevent the spread of smoke and fire throughout the building. These doors are typically provided to protect exit routes and it is very important not to prop or wedge these doors open, even through the self closing mechanism might be an inconvenience.
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