One of a homeowner’s worst nightmares is waking up to realize that their home is on fire. In this situation, many people begin to panic, while trying to get their pets and loved ones to safety. This panic can cause a homeowner to make poor decisions, instead of planning the safest ways to leave the building. This is why it is important to determine a safe exit strategy and escape route before disaster ever strikes.
How to Plan for a Fire:
The first thing to do to prepare for a house fire, is to determine a few safe exits that can be used in case of an emergency. All doors should be considered, as well as all first floor windows and some second story windows. In two story houses, there could be a situation where a family may not be able to reach the front door or even use the stairs. This is why it is important to also determine which windows could be used as an exit in a two story building. To fully determine which windows are possible exits, attempt to leave the home from a few windows, to see how difficult it would be to escape. Simply having a good idea of possible escape routes can greatly reduce panic and confusion in an emergency situation.
It is also a good idea to explain to children where fire extinguishers are kept and how to use them. While they should be advised to leave the home as quickly as possible during a house fire, this could possibly avoid a fire if a child or teenager were alone when a small fire started.
Additionally, each member of a household should agree on a safe place that they can meet after escaping from the house during a fire. This will keep everyone together and help determine who, if anyone, is stuck inside the home and needs assistance. Also, if there are small children or someone that may need help exiting the home, an able family member should be assigned to help that person in an emergency. If possible, each adult should be assigned to one or two children, as to speed up the process. In the midst of chaos, this step can help to greatly eliminate worry, confusion, and allow for a more efficient exit.
To prepare for a workplace fire, workers should familiarize themselves with all exits, as well as determine where the fire extinguishers are kept. It is also a good idea to map out which windows could be used to leave the building in case an exit were blocked or too congested. Taking this precaution will help you have a good plan of escape in case the building were to catch on fire, which would not only help bring you to safety, but your coworkers as well.
How to Safely Evacuate a Fire:
When exiting a building during a fire, there are a few important things that everyone should know. This first thing is to realize is that smoke can be just as dangerous as the fire itself. If possible, never enter an area that is filled with smoke or where there is visible fire. However, if there is smoke blocking the closest exit, then it is important to get close to the floor and crawl to the exit. The air towards the floor will be the cleanest, as smoke rises, and therefore crawling will allow for the least smoke inhalation.
Before entering a room, it is important to determine that the room is not filled with flames. To do this, you will need to softly touch the door knob. If the door knob seems to be a regular temperature, hold on to it for a second to make sure that it is not warmer than usual. If the door knob is hot or warm, that is a sign that the fire has spread to that particular room. If the door knob is a normal temperature, than the room may be safe to enter. However, when entering any room during a fire, you will need to proceed with extreme caution. While a fire is a terrifying event, planning and implementing a good exit strategy will help get you and your family to safety.