With status quo modern construction it is being reported that newly constructed homes can go up in flames in a matter of minutes. The reason is that status quo construction and new furniture and synthetic décor are all oil-based products. Where old homes could take hours to burn and the fire to spread, with a new home of standard construction you have usually less than five minutes before the home is engulfed. This is what Fire Chiefss around the Country are reporting. With that in mind, we want to remind everyone what to do in the event of a fire.
Everyone should be aware: Shout FIRE
Make sure everyone in the home is aware of the fire by making a loud noise and gathering everyone together.
Get everyone out of there
You should have a strategy in place for an escape route that everyone in your home knows about.
As you escape, remember:
- save valuables and hunt for pets as soon as possible.
- do not look into the flames
if there is smoke, crawl on the floor; the air is cleaner near the ground. Keep your nose as low as possible; remember, smoke is deadly and may kill you - before you open doors, feel them with the lower back of your hand; if they may be warm, do not open them – the hearthplace is on the alternative side
- if you run escape with other people, stay with them if possible
If your clothes catch fire: STOP DROP ROLL
- do not run around – you may fan the flames and cause them to burn faster
- lie down – this makes it tougher for the combustion to unfold and decreases the impact of flames for your face and head (flames burn upwards)
- smother the flames – cover the flames with heavy material, like a coat or blanket; this blocks the fire’s supply of oxygen
- roll around – rolling smothers the flames
If your escape route is blocked:
- In case you are not at the ground floor, using a window to exit – throw bedding or cushions onto the ground outdoors to soften your fall
- If you cannot open the window, use a heavy item to break it at the lowest corner – cover any jagged edges with clothing, a towel or a blanket to protect from being cut
- decrease youngsters from getting injured by lowering them as far as you can before allowing them to drop – get a person to interrupt their fall if you can
- Escape yourself by using your fingers from the window ledge and dangling first to drop
- Speak to little children and let them know if there is ever a fire and they cannot get out, that it is ok to break a window to escape, some children have perished near windows, and the belief is that they did not know they could break it to get out.
- Show children pictures of firefighters in their gear, or better yet visit your local Fire Department and arrange for a tour. Firefighters have reported that some children have run and hid when they saw the firefighters coming through the flames because they were scared of them and did not know who they were.
Call 911 or 999
Once you are out and safe, use a mobile phone, a neighbor’s phone, or a phone booth to alert the fire department. These calls are free.
When calling:
- provide your entire address, consisting of the town
- inform them what is on fire, for example, “a two-story house”
- inform them if someone is trapped, room they may be in – the greater records you could provide the Fire and Rescue Service, the greater fast and efficiently they could assist you
Do Not Go Back In
You should locate someplace secure and close to the building. If there is a person still inside, wait for the Fire and Rescue Service to arrive. You can inform them who the individual is and they may be able to locate them faster than you. If you go back into the building, you may slow down the firefighters’ efforts to rescue whoever else is missing, in addition to placing your very own lifestyles in incredible danger.