COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE • UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE, LEXINGTON, KY, 40546 ASC-184 Preventing : Tips for Horse Owners Fernanda Camargo, Animal and Food Sciences, and Essie Rogers, Kentucky Horse Council

very year, close to 200 horses are reported to have died in barn in theE United States. Although less frequent than house fires, barn fires are more com- mon than we would like. Many barn fires could be prevented by good barn design/ construction, strict personnel policies, and clear directives about how the barn and equipment should be maintained. Horse stables should be well ventilated. Hay, straw, shavings, cobwebs, and wood are highly flammable. Add a bit of heat or a spark to that highly flammable, well- ventilated material, and a barn fire can easily happen. Common reasons these barn fires start include smoking inside the barn (bedding materials, wooden structures, and hay are all fuel for fire), spontaneous combustion of hay improperly cured before storage, lightning, sparks from live electrical Barn aisles should be kept uncluttered. wires, and circuit breaker sparks during or after storms. In case of barn fire, horses ideally will • Designate paddocks away from the • Make sure every stabled horse has a be outside the barn, but that does not barn (several hundred feet or more) halter (that fits!) hanging on the stall always happen. So, it is important to learn where horses can be temporar- door with lead rope attached. Leather how to fireproof your barn. Be proactive ily housed in case of fire or any other is preferable; a nylon halter will melt and start implementing new routines emergency stable evacuations. in heat. Consider marking each halter before a fire happens. • Teach your family and employees the with glow-in-the-dark paint or reflec- The following are suggestions for fire fire procedure for your facility. tors. prevention and emergency management. They may not cover every situation, so it’s highly recommended that you seek advice from a expert as you develop your fire safety plan. Have a Plan • Post fire and emergency numbers in prominent locations in the barn or by the barn phone. • Post, in prominent locations in the barn or next to the barn phone, the barn’s physical address and any special driving directions that emergency responders might need. • Post other emergency contact infor- mation in a convenient, prominent Electric outlets should be kept clean of Light bulbs should be caged to prevent location. cobweb and other debris. fire.

Agriculture and Natural Resources • Family and Consumer Sciences • 4-H Youth Development • Community and Economic Development EXTENSION If possible, do not store hay in the barn loft. It makes cleaning more difficult When hay is stored in the barn loft, pieces of hay may and provides excellent fuel for spreading fires. accumulate on the trusses and may fall inside the electric outlet, creating a spark and possible fire.

• Put reflectors on stall door latches. Regular Cleaning—A cluttered, unkempt are working properly. Water bucket • Human safety is top priority: in all barn is fire friendly. Cobwebs, excess heaters create fire risk because they heat fire situations, ensure your safety and bailing twine, dangling hay, and the hap- as long as they are turned on. Once the that of others before taking care of the hazard storage of combustibles create an water bucket is empty, the water heater animals. environment that encourages the spread will continue heating and could melt of fire. By maintaining a neat, clean barn plastic water buckets and ignite stall bed- Other Steps You Can Take and regularly sweeping cobwebs and ding and hay. loose hay from your barn and stall walls, Here are other precautions that can Hay and Bedding—Hay and bedding aisles, and rooms, you help eliminate help protect your horse barn in fires and should be stored in a separate storage fa- ways for fire to spread. other emergency situations: cility well away from the stable and where Many have large nails strategi- No Smoking equipment is stored. In the event that hay —There is no place for smok- cally placed for hanging old bailing twine. must be stored in the stable, ground stor- ing in or near a barn. Post “no smoking” Over time a nail becomes covered with age is best provided the hay is stored in a signs, and enforce a strict no-smoking such a deep mat of twine that it is no lon- separate area enclosed with policy. ger visible. Hanging or draping fabric is a walls and ceiling. The other option is stor- good means of spreading fire and should Fire Extinguishers—Your barn should ing hay in a loft but still separated by fire be removed. Regularly dispose of unused have fire extinguishers next to each exit, retardant materials. bailing twine. next to the electrical utility box, and at When fresh hay is harvested and put Barn doors should always be acces- roughly 30-40 foot intervals throughout. up in storage, there is a potential for the sible, even those that are not often used. There are different types of extinguishers core of the hay bale to become heated, All doors should open fully either by designed for a variety of fire types (electri- especially if the hay was not allowed to sliding or opening out (rather than in). cal, ordinary combustible, liquid combus- dry properly and was put up with high tible). Experts recommend ABC (general Electrical Devices—All electrical wiring moisture content. It can take as long as purpose) extinguishers for stables. should be professionally installed and six weeks for hay to finish curing, espe- Extinguishers need to be inspected inspected. Electric wiring throughout the cially if the region in which the hay was yearly and recharged by a licensed profes- barn should be encased in conduit. The harvested and cured is humid. In such sional. If you and your barn help do not circuit breaker box should be installed cases, the internal temperature of bales know how to use a , you away from the barn exits. All barn lights may reach 150 degrees or higher and should be trained on how to do so. Check should be caged and designed for barn use. self-combustion could occur. with your local for course Electrical equipment should be unplugged Check the internal temperature of offerings near you. and properly stored when not in use. Fans, curing hay by poking a thermometer into must have a water supply clippers, blowers, and other electric equip- the middle of the haystack. If that tem- outside the barn. Installing water hy- ment should be cleaned regularly with perature reaches 150 degrees, it should be drants at one end of the stable by a door compressed air to remove dust and debris. monitored every four hours. If it reaches is highly recommended. Inspect water heaters to ensure they 175 degrees, contact the fire department. In Case of Fire Fireproofing Tips: If fire does break out, do not panic, as A Quick Guide your skills and reasoning will be dimin- • Make sure your barn is well ventilated. ished. Your priorities in case of fire are • Clear a 50-foot around your the following: barn. Remove brush, trees, tall grass, 1. Call 911 or the fire department. and debris. • Install a grounded lightning rod system 2. Get people out of your barn before to protect your barn in electrical storms attending the animals. Human safety or thunderstorms. is top priority; ensure your safety and • Have a water supply installed outside that of others in all fire situations. your barn. 3. When removing horses during a fire: • Consider installing smoke detectors: they can save critical time if a fire does a. Get your horses out only if you can start. do so without risking human lives. a. Make sure you check smoke detec- b. Follow the instructions of the fire tors regularly (at least twice a year). department. b. You may also wish to connect the smoke detectors with a loud, exter- c. If it is safe for you to enter the barn, nal or alarm that will sound so do the following: they can be heard if no one is in the • Remove the horses closest to the barn. Fire extinguishers should be properly exit first. • Store hay and combustibles (such as maintained and annually tested. shavings and straw) in a separate build- • Handle horses one at a time. ing at least 150 feet from your barn. • Lead the horses from the barn into • Make sure stored hay is cured properly, the pre-arranged paddock. even if stored in a separate building. • Maintain control of all horses until • Use only industrial-grade extension Under the fire department’s supervision, cords, and don’t overload them. Peri- they are secured in the designated odically check electrical cords for dam- remove the hay from the barn. If any fires holding area (do not let them run ignite as a result of exposing the smolder- age, and replace them as needed—do loose!). not repair them with electrical tape. Do ing hay to oxygen, the fire department • Keep horses together: a lone, not let horses step on cords or chew can put them out. stressed horse could create an- them, as this will damage them. • Place general purpose (ABC) fire ex- Tractors and Equipment—Tractors, equip- other set of risks. tinguishers within reach. Make sure ment, machinery, fuel, and petroleum 4. Use fire extinguishers and/or hoses, they are charged and protected from products should be stored in a separate but only if you can do so safely. freezing. See the separate section on 5. Step aside when the fire crew arrives fire extinguishers for more information. facility well away from the stable and hay • Keep your barn clean. Dust, cobwebs, storage area. Grass, hay, leaves, manure, and let the professionals handle it. oily rags, paper towels, etc., are fire and other easily flammable materials hazards. should be removed from equipment These recommendations for fire safety • Ban smoking in and around the barn. before storage. can be a starting point for fire prevention • Consider installing a sprinkler system, which may be especially applicable if planning but are not a substitute for the Stable Construction and Design—If you are you board horses or own expensive exercise of reasonable care and may not performance horses. While the initial building a new stable, consult fire safety be appropriate for all situations. Farm investment may be high, check with experts to identify the best design and owners must comply with all applicable your insurance agent to see if discounts materials to use to retard and prevent government regulations, should always are offered for barns with sprinklers. fire. Consider the use of fire-retardant You may need a heated barn in order purchase fire insurance, and should follow to keep pipes from freezing in winter. materials and coatings in construction, all protocols required by their insurance • Ask your local fire department for a lightning protection, layout, exit plans carriers. For more information, contact walk-through of your barn to point out (remembering that all doors should slide other fire-prevention recommenda- your fire department, which may send a tions. or open out), water sources, storage areas, representative out to do a checkup of your and accessibility for emergency person- barn and offer you more recommenda- nel. When choosing a professional to tions. The fire department may also offer install fire prevention devices, you should fire training for you and your staff. first verify credentials. For example, a lightning rod installer should be certified The Kentucky Horse Council and the Univer- by the Lightning Protection Institute. sity of Kentucky assume no responsibility for injuries to horses and their handlers.

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