We all know of people that have had their home burn to the ground. It is a horrible thing to have happen but what would you do if your home caught on fire? Do you know how to react or what actions to take? Does your family? A little preparation and discussion of what to do can go a long way toward making sure your family survives a house fire.
The first thing to discuss and explore are escape routes. Does everybody know all the ways to get out of the house? Is it possible to climb out a window and escape via the roof. This is not a normal exit but could work during a fire. Are there routes that have challenges such as doors that stick and are inoperable by children. Are there routes that could work if an escape ladder were kept nearby? Explore your home and educate everybody on all the ways to exit the home. Also, be sure to designate who will help children or the elderly in the event of a fire.
If you do find yourself in a blaze and need to escape, it is imperative move cautiously and be aware of your surroundings. For instance, don't just open a door automatically as you would ordinarily do. There could be a raging fire on the other side and door is preventing it from reaching you. Before opening, check for smoke seeping under the door or around the edge. If you see smoke do not open the door and find a different route. Likewise, do not open any door that is hot or very warm. Opening a door under these circumstances can alter air flow and cause a smoldering fire to burst into an inferno.
Most people are killed by smoke and fumes during a fire and not the actual blaze. Drop to your knees and crawl along the floor if you find yourself in a smoke filled environment. Smoke rises and there is typically a foot or two of smoke free air just above the floor. Cover you mouth and nose with a wet cloth if possible. This will act as a filter and provide greater protection from the smoke.
Be sure that you have established a rally point for everybody to congregate once out of the house. In this fashion, you will know if somebody is missing. Call the fire department once you have reached this point. Do not call from within the house as this will delay your exit and increase your risk of harm.
Be sure to discuss with your children that they should not hide under furniture or other objects. This make it harder to locate them. Children should remain in the open or near a window when possible.
Finally, practice your home fire drill quarterly. Everybody should be able to exit within three minutes. Be certain to vary the drill by imagining that certain escape routes are blocked. Also, practice how to deploy and use escape ladders so that it is second nature. Trying to figure out how to use the device during an emergency is clearly to be avoided.
With a little practice and discussion, you can make your family more safe and provide peace-of-mind. Don't delay and risk being a sad story on the nightly news - start today!
Article independently authored by Eric Parish. The content herein may or may not reflect the views and opinions of Brothers Fire.
Thank you for sharing your expertise and knowledge with the public and readers of this blog. It really could save lives if the worst ever happens. I've recently installed some new Fire Alarms and trying to show my young children what to do in the event of a fire too.
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