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If your structure is in an area prone to grass
fires make sure you maintain at least a 50 foot fire brake from the
grass to the barn. Be sure to keep this area clear of any trees, shrubs,
wood piles, etc.
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Remove all unnecessary trash or debris lying around
inside or outside of your barn. Besides keeping your barn well kept
removing trash robs a potential fire of valuable fuel.
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Always have accessible water source outside of
the livestock facility. Remember to always leave a hose attached to
this water source. Keep a ladder of sufficient length to reach the barn
roof nearby.
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Install lightning rods or a lightning arrestor system
on your barns, ranch house and equipment sheds. Avoid the temptation
to “do-it-yourself” barn grounding and hire an electrician experienced
in lightning protection systems. Be sure and check lightning rods periodically
to be sure they're in good condition.
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All electrical wiring should be in metal conduit
with weather proof electrical boxes and moisture and dust proof switches. All wiring should be kept out of reach of our overly inquisitive friends. All water sources should be grounded to prevent accidental electrical
shock. All fans should be approved for dust, hay, straw and hazardous
fumes.
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Frayed electrical wiring, short circuits and overloaded
circuits are a leading cause of barn fires. Have any electrical problems
fixed ASAP by a qualified licensed electrician.
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Do not rely on extension cords. Have new electrical
outlets and new circuit breakers installed. Ground-fault circuit interrupters
should be installed in wash stalls and other damp or watery areas. All
water, electrical and telephone lines should also be grounded.
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Install smoke, heat and Co2 detectors inside your
barn with an external alarm or bell. You may also want to consider remote
wired or wireless video monitors and alarm systems to keep a close eye
on your equine friends from the comfort of the house. Larger equine
facilities should consider strobe lights and 24x7 monitored fire alarms.
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Keep a water bucket, halter and lead on all horse
stall doors for easy access in case of a fire emergency.
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Select barn building materials with low flammability
such as steel and masonry. Keep fire safety in mind when building new
barn facilities and plan for fire truck access to reach your barn.
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Consider emergency lighting and a back up generator
for your barn. A backup generator may also be required to power water
wells or pumps in the event of electrical failure.
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Consider installing a sprinkler system for horse
barn. Sprinkler systems are less expensive if included as part of new
construction verses retro fitting an existing barn. Also, insurance
companies usually offer premium reductions for barn fire Sprinkler systems.
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Store all paints, pesticides, cleaning solvents
and other flammable liquids in another building away from your barn
when ever possible. If they must be kept in the barn always use the
original containers and keep them away from heat or spark sources.
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Avoid parking tractors or other farm equipment
near piles of shavings, straw or hay where a hot engine could spark
a fire.
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Be sure to store hay and feed correctly, away from
heat and electrical sources, and if possible in a separate building
away from your horses. Do not store more than a day's worth of hay and
wood shavings in the barn. Some insurance companies will not insure
horse barns that store hay. If hay storage creates an insurance issue,
consider building a near by but detached structure to make the insurance
man happy.
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Install appropriately sized multi purpose fire
extinguishers in all tack rooms, feed storage areas, electrical rooms,
in the middle of long aisles and at all barn entrances. Include appropriate
signage so barn visitors can quickly locate a fire exit in case of a
fire.
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Keep a phone easily accessible at the barn. Post
detailed directions to your barn by each phone in the barn and at the
house. Trying to remember simple directions, road numbers and landmarks
becomes quite difficult when under stress. Also, include any special
property access instructions needed for emergency crews and your veterinarians'
phone numbers.
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Post No Smoking Signs and strictly enforce the
rule. Post signs at all exterior doorways, tack rooms, bathrooms, storage
rooms, etc. Install sand buckets for cigarette butts at all barn entrances.
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Have a fire drill at least twice a year. Develop
an evacuation plan to get you and your horse out quickly and safely. Share the plan, such as 1. Get out of structure, 2. Call fire department,
3. Take steps to control or extinguish the fire. Make sure employees
and family members know what to do incase of a barn fire.
