an independent guide to everyday fire safety at home

Pojarnik26

An independent guide to everyday fire safety. This is not a website of EMERCOM of Russia or the fire service, and it is not the former site on this domain. In a fire in Russia, call 101 or 112; elsewhere, call your local emergency number.

Reference

Reference

This section explains the terms you come across when reading fire safety leaflets, the label on a fire extinguisher or news about the fire-hazard season. The definitions are short and make sense without special training. Specific facts are taken only from official Russian documents; device maintenance follows the manufacturer's instructions and the product data sheet.

The letters on a fire extinguisher are not a code for specialists. They tell you directly what it can and cannot be used on.

— Editor's note

Fire and combustion

Fire
Uncontrolled burning that causes harm to people and property. What sets it apart from controlled fire — in a stove, on a hob, in a barbecue — is that the flames have spread beyond the space where they can be safely contained.
Smoke spread
The spread of smoke through a room or building. Smoke is dangerous in itself and can cut off the way out before any flames are visible, which is why people keep low and close doors behind them when there is smoke.
Fire classes
The Russian classification of fires by the type of burning material under Article 8 of Federal Law No. 123-FZ: A — combustible solids, B — flammable liquids and melting solids, C — gases, D — metals, E — live electrical installations, F — nuclear materials, radioactive waste and radioactive substances.
Fire-hazard season
The time of year when dry weather raises the risk of wildfires and additional restrictions on lighting fires may be introduced. These are announced by the local authorities and EMERCOM of Russia.

Protective equipment

Standalone smoke alarm
A device that sounds an alarm when it detects smoke. It is fitted on the ceiling, checked with the test button, and its battery is replaced according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Fire extinguisher
A portable device for putting out a fire in its early stages. Types include powder, carbon dioxide, water and foam extinguishers; which one is suitable is shown by the fire class label on the body. Checks and recharging follow the product data sheet.
Extinguisher label
The markings and symbols on the body: the fire classes the extinguisher is suitable for and the instructions for use. Read them in advance, not at the moment a fire breaks out.
Escape routes
The routes people use to leave a room or building in a fire: corridors, stairs and exits. They must not be blocked, and lifts are not used during a fire.

Laws and regulations

Federal Law No. 69-FZ
The Federal Law “On Fire Safety”, adopted on 21 December 1994. It sets out the general legal framework for ensuring fire safety in Russia.
Federal Law No. 123-FZ
The “Technical Regulations on Fire Safety Requirements” of 22 July 2008. Among other things, it establishes the classification of fires by the type of burning material.
Fire Safety Regulations
The Fire Safety Regulations of the Russian Federation, approved by Government Decree No. 1479 of 16 September 2020 and in force since 1 January 2021. They set out fire safety requirements for buildings, land and the public.
Fire Service Day
Celebrated in Russia on 30 April in memory of the 1649 decree on order in the city (the “Nakaz o gradskom blagochinii”).
Numbers 101, 112 and 104
In Russia: 101 calls the fire service, including from a mobile phone; 112 is the single emergency number; 104 is the emergency gas service.

Materials on the topics in this section

  • Practical

    A family evacuation plan: how to draw it up and practise it. Plus a catalogue of upcoming articles.

  • Questions

    Short answers: fire and gas leaks, smoke alarms and extinguishers, the dacha, stoves and wiring.

  • Collections

    Reading paths: first steps at home, before the season, talking to children and parents.

  • Topics

    Guide map: home and flat, dacha and outdoors, transport, children and elderly relatives.

  • Questions

    Short answers: fire and gas leaks, smoke alarms and extinguishers, the dacha, stoves and wiring.

  • Collections

    Reading paths: first steps at home, before the season, talking to children and parents.

  • New

    A dated feed of the guide's publications.

Sources

  • Federal Law No. 69-FZ “On Fire Safety”
  • Federal Law No. 123-FZ “Technical Regulations on Fire Safety Requirements”
  • Fire Safety Regulations of the Russian Federation (Government Decree No. 1479)
  • EMERCOM of Russia — safety leaflets for the public

Information is current as of the date of preparation. The Russian Fire Safety Regulations, federal laws and EMERCOM of Russia leaflets are updated from time to time, so check the requirements in force in the official documents, and check how to maintain a specific device in the manufacturer's instructions and the product data sheet.