Fire Blankets

What are fire blankets?

Fire blankets are flame-resistant blankets that can quickly extinguish a small fire or be used to wrap around someone in a clothing fire. They are ready folded and packed, allowing them to be stored in small areas and kept in good condition. Fire blanket cases also have a quick / easy release design, so they can be accessed fast in an emergency. They are designed for single use.

How do fire blankets work?

The fire blanket is thrown over the small fire, depriving it of oxygen and smothering it before it can get any bigger. Without oxygen, the fire will be extinguished.

What kinds of fires are fire blankets recommended for?

Fire blankets are mainly for dealing with small fires involving cooking oil and other small fires. They can be used with other fire extinguishing methods such as fire extinguishers and sprinklers.

As with fire extinguishers, they should only be used to tackle a small fire at the very earliest stages. If the fire is larger than the fire blanket, evacuate and call the Fire and Rescue Service.

Large industrial kitchens using hot temperature cooking oils should use a specialist Class F fire extinguisher.

What are the benefits of using fire blankets?

There are several benefits:

• protecting lives and reducing injuries
• stopping a small fire, to give people time to escape
• stopping the fire before it causes real damage to stock, equipment and buildings
• meeting legal fire safety obligations. Having fire-fighting equipment on the premises is part of an employer’s statutory duty under Fire Regulations. Failure to comply could mean heavy fines as well as reputational damage.

Which fire blankets are in the First Mats range?

All of the fire blankets in the First Mats range are Kitemark certified BSEN1869:1997. This shows that they are legitimate, quality fire safety products that meet the necessary Standards to extinguish:

• small hot oil fires in kitchens and cafes
• small bin fires
• other small fires

The First Mats fire blankets are manufactured from double sided glass cloth and are silicone coated for extra fire-retardancy, in two high performing grades, K40 and premium K100.

We also offer a range of sizes, from 1m x 1m to our largest 1.8m x 1.8m. We suggest choosing one of the larger sizes if you need a blanket big enough to wrap around someone, either in a clothing fire or to offer protection while escaping a larger fire.

Our fire blankets are housed either in a wall-mounted red hard case, ideal for industrial environments, or a soft case. Both types:

• protect the blanket
• have the BSI Safety Standard ‘fire safety’ colouring (red background with white lettering and graphics)
• include information on emergency use

Why First Mats?

We pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and our customer agree, which is why we have a Five Star Trustpilot rating. When you buy from First Mats you know you are dealing with a company whose reputation is built on offering cost-effective products that meet all the necessary Safety and Quality Standards.