Fire blankets are often more effective for most people than a fire extinguisher when faced with a fire. Fire blankets deprive a small fire of oxygen by smothering it. In order to do this, fire blankets are made from fire resistant materials, such as wool or fiberglass. They may also be chemically treated to increase the fire resistance.

A fire blanket can be used for a couple of different applications.

Smothering the Fire The first way is to smoother the fire by cutting of the oxygen necessary for it to keep burning. The material the fire blanket is made of is important as the blanket must be durable and can't burn. This would not allow the oxygen to transfer to the fuel which would keep the fire burning. Absent this airflow, the fire will simply be smothered in a short amount of time. The blanket will need to remain in place until the fire surface area has completely cooled to prevent the fire from reigniting.

Wrap Up Body Protection The other most common application for fire blankets is the wrap a human body in to insulate your skin and clothing from the fire. This fire resistant blanket is the best temporary shield you can have for the short time you spend exiting a fire. This blanket will minimize the heat and potential for burn and injury by wrapping your body in it while escaping. It is designed to be large enough to cover the human body as well as work as a standard blanket. The wool blankets are flame proof with a specially treated chemical that prevent it from catching on fire. It should never be used to enter a fire, only to exit and smother a fire. Even though these fire blankets are a key piece to your overall safety plan.