Surviving a Fire
Every
year, many people die in house fires because they were
not prepared.
Did you know that you can survive a house fire if you are
alerted to the fire and you get out quickly and stay out?
It’s true.
There are some things you can do to be safer in your
home.
First
is to install smoke detectors and to be sure they stay in
good working order.
Make
an escape plan
If there is a fire in your home, you and your family must
think fast so you can get out quickly and safely. Sit
down with your family and write down two ways out of
every room in the house, especially in the rooms where
people sleep. Be sure that everyone in your family knows
about the plan and that you all practice it together so
you will remember how to get out if there is a fire.
Agree
on a meeting place
outside your home where everyone will meet after escaping
a fire. Wait there for the fire department to arrive.
This allows you to count heads and inform the fire
department if anyone is trapped inside the burning
building.
Practice
your escape plan
at least twice a year. Have a fire drill in your home.
Appoint someone to be the monitor and have everyone
participate. A fire drill is not a race. Get out quickly,
but carefully.
Make
your exit drill realistic
Pretend that some exits are blocked by fire and practice
alternative escape routes. Pretend that the lights are
out and that some escape routes are filling with smoke.
Be
Prepared
Make sure everyone in the household can unlock all doors
and windows quickly, even in the dark. Windows or doors
with security bars need to be equipped with quick-release
devices and everyone in the household should know how to
use them. Practice!
If
you live in an apartment building,
use stairways to escape. Never use an elevator during a
fire. It may stop between floors or take you to a floor
where the fire is burning.
If
you live in a two-story house,
and you must escape from a second-story window, be sure
there is a safe way to reach the ground. Make special
arrangements for children and people with disabilities.
People who have difficulty moving should have a phone in
their sleeping area and, if possible, should sleep on the
ground floor.
If
there is a fire
Test doors before opening them. While kneeling or
crouching at the door, reach up as high as you can, and
with the back of your hand, touch the door, the knob, and
the crack between the door and its frame. If the door is
warm, use another escape route. If the door is cool, open
it with caution.
If
you are trapped,
close all doors between you and the fire. Stuff the
cracks around the doors to keep out
smoke. Wait at a window and signal for help with a
light-colored cloth or a flashlight. If there’s a
phone in the room, call the fire department and tell them
exactly where you are.
Get
Out Fast
In case of fire, don’t stop for anything. Do not try
to rescue possessions or pets. Go directly to your
meeting place and then call the fire department from a
neighbor’s phone or cell phone. Every member should
know how to call the fire department.
Crawl
low under smoke
Smoke contains deadly gases, and heat rises. During a
fire, cleaner air will be near the floor. It will more
than likely be impossible to see anything, unlike fires
you've seen on television. If you encounter smoke when
using your primary exit, use your alternative escape
route. If you must exit through smoke, crawl on your
hands and knees, keeping your head 12 to 24 inches above
the floor.
…and
Stay Out
Once you are out of your home, don’t go back for any
reason. If people are trapped, the firefighters have the
best chance of rescuing them. The heat and smoke of a
fire are overpowering. Firefighters have the training,
experience, and protective equipment needed to enter
burning buildings.
Play
It Safe
More than half of all fatal home fires happen at night
while people are sleeping. Smoke detectors sound an alarm
when a fire starts, waking people before they are trapped
or overcome by smoke. With smoke detectors, your risk of
dying in a home fire is cut nearly in half. Install smoke
detectors outside every sleeping area and on every level
of your home, including the basement. If you sleep with
the bedroom door closed, install a smoke detector inside
the bedroom for added protection. Follow installation
instructions carefully and test smoke detectors monthly.
Replace all smoke detector batteries at the spring and
autumn time changes. If your detector is more than 10
years old, replace it with a new one.
Don't forget to
call 911
if you have an emergency. If you havn't
visited my Police and Safety page, click the 911 button
below and learn how to use 911.
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