REMEMBER – Fire spreads quite fast, and build up of toxic gases keeps continuously reducing your chances of survival. To stay safe, you have to struggle, use all your knowledge, and skill, and come out. You really have no other option.
Act on the following tips, and ensure safety of your family.
- Evacuate calmly, and quickly whenever a fire alarm, or carbon monoxide alarm sounds.
- Get out of the house immediately; call for emergency assistance.
- Escape first, then call for help.
- In case of fire, do not use lift for escape. Lift might fail midway trapping you inside. Use only staircases.
- Tell arriving firefighters the location of the fire or trapped family members. This would drastically increase the odds of the fire going out quickly, and drastically shorten the time for the firefighters to find your family member.
- Stay below the smoke. The chemical composition of smoke does serious damage to your brain, and lungs. Disorientation would set in first, you would then go unresponsive. Eventually, your breathing would stop. It’s important to remember that the smoke will kill you before the fire does.
- Put a cloth or towel over your mouth, and nose, and crawl low on the floor to the nearest exit. Remember fresh air would be available close to the floor.
- When you come to a closed door, use the back of your hand to feel the top of the door, the doorknob, and the crack between the door, and door frame to make sure that fire is not on the other side. If it feels hot, use your secondary escape route. Even if the door feels cool, open it carefully. Brace your shoulder against the door, and open it slowly. If heat, and smoke come in, slam the door immediately and make sure it is securely closed. Then use your alternate escape route.
- Do not switch of’ electricity of the entire building in the event of a fire. This would stop of all fire protection, and fire fighting systems installed in the building.
- Assume all wires on the ground as being electrically charged. This includes cable TV feeds.
- Be aware of, and avoid downed utility lines. Report downed, or damaged power lines to the Electricity Department or emergency services.
- Do not re-enter the fire affected building to collect the valuables, or for any other purpose. Not even for saving someone. The scenario would be quite different now and entering the building might cost you your life.