Firefighters investigate Calais Weber Biery's chemistry classroom at Western Reserve Academy after the 2006 fire that injured her and others.
"One of these days, someone is going to die" from injuries sustained in a chemistry classroom fire, Calais Weber Biery says. "I almost did."
In response to all the students injured in alcohol-fueled school fires, C&EN has released a package focused on classroom demo and experiment safely. It's got a story, an infographic illustrating the National Fire Protection Association recommendations for demos, and a video depicting the ACS Committee on Chemical Safety's recommended procedure for flame tests (soak sticks in aqueous salt solutions, then burn them in a bunsen burner).
The package went online yesterday at http://cenm.ag/labdemo and will be in Monday's print issue (Nov. 23). Please feel free to share the link or pdf.