In order to escape a fire, it is essential to be prepared, have an evacuation plan and do exercises. Design the plan taking into consideration the layout of the house and the characteristics of the family members. Address this issue in advance and make sure you know what to do in whatever environment you frequent, live in, or travel to. Learn general escape techniques and familiarize yourself with specific procedures, whether you live in a single-family home, multi-story apartment building, hotel room, or work in a very tall building. If you do a lot of hiking or camping, learn to recognize the direction of the smoke and plot an escape route to escape from outdoor fires.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: House Fire
Step 1. Prepare an evacuation plan and organize drills
Be prepared for the worst by developing an escape plan and make sure all family members know what to do in this circumstance. You should consider all available exits in each room and the paths leading to a safe outdoor location. Establish a meeting point away from home, such as a neighbor's garden or the letterbox across the street.
- It is essential that the escape routes do not lead to a closed area, such as a fenced yard, which prevents you from escaping from the house; it is better that any gate or fence can be opened easily from the inside.
- Make sure all family members know how to open the locks on all doors, windows, gates or fences; regularly inspect these potential obstacles to make sure they can provide an escape route in the event of a fire.
- Organize a drill every few months, even at night, as the death rate from fires is higher during dark hours due to greater difficulty in escaping.
Step 2. Consider the abilities of all the people who live with you
When designing an evacuation plan, do not neglect each person's abilities or disabilities; if you or someone else in your family needs glasses or hearing aids and these items are essential to get out of the house, make sure they are always on your bedside table or close at hand. Check that wheelchairs, canes or other means of mobility support are close to the bed of the person using them or that they are easily accessible.
- Individuals with reduced mobility should sleep in a room on the ground floor if the house has several floors.
- Contact the local fire station (do not call the emergency number "115") and ask what are the best practices to ensure the safety of people with special needs.
Step 3. Crouch to the floor and crawl to the exit to avoid inhaling the smoke
Try to stay as close to the ground as you quickly make your way to the nearest escape route, especially if there is smoke in the room. Inhaling the fumes makes you lose consciousness and in these cases the fresh air is closer to the ground, since toxic substances and combustion gases tend to move upwards; in addition, a crouched position allows you to better see the path to safety.
Step 4. Feel the door handles to see if they are hot
Never open a door when the handle is very hot, as it probably means there is fire in the other room; by opening the door you expose yourself to danger and feed the flames with oxygen. If the main escape route is blocked by a door with a hot handle or other obvious signs of fire, find an alternate route or exit through the window.
- Use the back of your hand and not your palm to feel the handles; the thin skin on the back is more sensitive to heat, so you should feel it before it can burn you.
- Slowly open the doors along the path and be ready to quickly close them in case you notice fire or smoke.
Step 5. Don't hide
Even if you are afraid, it is essential not to seek refuge under the bed, in the closet or in any other closed environment; if you do, the firefighters or other rescuers may not know where you are. Try not to panic and do your best to stay calm and find the closest escape route.
Step 6. Know what to do if evacuation routes are blocked
If all exits are impassable, it is vital that you do everything possible to inform rescuers of your location. If you have a phone handy, call the emergency services to tell them where you are; shout for help, light a flashlight at the window, find a colored dress or fabric to signal from the window.
If you are stuck in a room, cover all the vents, close the door and put towels, clothes or any other similar object to seal the cracks; by doing so, you prevent smoke and fire from entering the chamber
Method 2 of 3: Fire in a Tall Building
Step 1. Know what evacuation routes and procedures are
Whether you live in an apartment in a multi-story apartment building, are in a hotel or work in a high-rise building, you need to be familiar with the floor plan and escape routes; learn which is the quickest and shortest way to reach the stairwell and know where the alternative exits are. Talk to the building manager or maintenance staff to learn about the precise emergency procedures.
Step 2. Take the stairs
Never use the elevator when there is a fire. If you live in an apartment building or work in a multi-story building, try taking the stairs from time to time; learn how many floors there are and take note of the time it takes to go down. Use the handrail and stay on the right side of the ladder (or on the one indicated by the emergency protocols of the building you are in) to allow the rescuers to go up on the other side.
- If you notice smoke rising from the lower floors along the flight of stairs, go back. If possible, try to reach the roof and keep the access door open to allow smoke to escape from the lower floors of the stairwell; in this way, you help people in need and facilitate access to firefighters.
- Once on the roof, move into the wind, call emergency services (if you haven't already) and let the operator know your exact location.
Step 3. Consider any mobility issues
Inform the building safety and maintenance personnel of any difficulties taking the stairs that affect you or any family member.
- If you use a wheelchair and cannot go down the stairs, find someone in the immediate vicinity who can assist you or transport you to the ground floor. Call the fire station (not the emergency number) to ask what are the best procedures for people with reduced mobility to follow in the event of a fire.
- If there are no elevators and you are stuck on the upper floors, inform the rescuers of the exact position you are in and signal the window using what you have available.
Step 4. Keep your keys and key cards close at hand
If you are staying in a hotel, remember to have the electronic key available to be able to leave the room and floor. In case the stairs and the exit are blocked, you need to go back to the room, seal any crevices, close the vents and use a flashlight or some colored clothes to signal your presence at the window.
- Remember to check the temperature of the door handle before you leave, in case the escape route is engulfed by flames.
- If you work in a high-rise office, follow similar procedures if all exits are blocked; close the door of your office or apartment (but not with the key) and keep your key card or keys close at hand in case the lock locks automatically.
Method 3 of 3: Fire in Nature
Step 1. Move into the wind and downhill
The masses of hot air caused by the fire move upwards, in addition to the fact that walking uphill still slows down the escape. Walk in the direction from which the wind is coming, you can determine it by observing the displacement of the smoke.
- Try to look up at the sky to see which direction the smoke is moving.
- Observe how the leaves and branches of the trees sway.
Step 2. Look for an area where there is no combustible material
Once you have identified the downward and upwind direction, find a natural fire barrier. This is an area where there is much less flammable material, such as a rocky surface, with boulders, a road, a body of water or a path with very large trees that hold much more moisture than the surrounding vegetation.
Stay away from open areas with small dry shrubs or bushes
Step 3. Find or dig a trench if you can't escape
If you can't get to a safe place, look for a hole or a channel and, once you find it, dig enough space for your body; enter this refuge taking care to put your feet in the direction of the fire and cover yourself with earth, making sure you can breathe anyway.
- If you haven't already, call the emergency services; inform the operator of your precise location.
- If the fire is close enough, surrounds you or blocks all escape routes downstream, upwind and there are no safe hiding places nearby, your last chance is to run through the fire to reach an area already consumed by the flames.
Step 4. Practice good practices for safe camping and hiking
Avoid getting stuck in a forest fire by evaluating risk factors, such as weather conditions, extreme drought, the accumulation of dry materials in the area where you pitch your tent or decide to hike, as well as the direction of the wind. ask the park rangers to find out if there is a danger of any forest fire in the area.
- Do not light a bonfire during dry spells, especially if the park manager has informed you that there is a ban on lighting fires.
- If you can light a bonfire safely, keep it small, contained and away from trees or shrubs; never leave it unattended.
- Make sure the fire is completely extinguished before leaving the camp area, pour plenty of water over the flames, mix the ashes and add more water; make sure that the material no longer hisses when it comes into contact with the liquid and finally check that it is cold to the touch.
Step 5. Escape as soon as you receive an evacuation order if the fire threatens your home
Take only the bare minimum with you as quickly as possible and leave the house immediately. If you live in a fire prone area, contact the fire brigade (not the emergency number) or check the barracks website to find out if there is an SMS or email alert system.
If you are in the vicinity of a forest fire but have not received an evacuation order, call the fire brigade; do not assume that someone has already done so
Advice
- Always call emergency services as soon as you have the chance; do not assume that someone has already done so when the fire is outdoors or in a public place.
- Install smoke detectors and inspect them regularly; take any alarm seriously.
- If your clothes catch fire, stop running, throw yourself on the ground and roll on yourself; cover your face and throw yourself on the floor by rolling over and over until the flames go out.
- If someone is unable to roll on the ground due to physical disabilities, smother the flames with blankets and towels.
