Are you concerned about a fire outbreak in your vicinity? Here’s what you need to know and do!
Home fires are extremely dangerous, and yet they are far too common. According to the National Fire Protection Association, house fires cause around 2,600 deaths in the US every year. Although fire prevention tips are key, you should also know what to do in case a fire breaks out in your home.
Knowing what do can save lives and protect you and your family from the fire that is trying to engulf your home. The first course of action should be to extinguish the fire properly. If that’s not possible, then you need to get to safety and call for help.
Keep reading as we provide a step-by-step guide on how to deal with an active fire!
Extinguish the fire
When you notice a fire or smell the smoke, you need to immediately extinguish the fire. For instance, if you see fire spark into a wire or a pan, you need to extinguish it right away before it gets out of control.
Here’s how to do it!
Grab the nearest fire extinguisher and operate it using the PASS technique:
P = Pull the pin
A = Aim at the base of the flames
S = Squeeze the handle of the extinguisher
S = Sweep the extinguisher from one side to the other until the fire dies out
Escape Plan: Crawl beneath the flames
Fire causes the release of smoke and other poisonous gases that can make people lose consciousness or feel lightheaded. If you aren’t careful, it can prevent you from getting to safety. To escape the fire and its fumes safely, always crawl beneath the flames tor each the nearest exit. Staying low to the ground is essential for safety because it will keep you from inhaling poisonous gases.
Check the temperature of doors and doorknobs
Before exiting through a door, always check whether the door or its knob is hot. If they are warm to the touch, then it means there could be a fire raging on the other side of the door. You shouldn’t go through that door and look for the next closest exit open.
Run to safety
When you make it outside, start running away from the location of fire towards safety. There’s a risk of a part of the house, such as the roof or siding, catching fire and falling around the perimeter of the house. Therefore, it’s important to run away from the close proximity of the building on fire.
Call for help
Once you are in a safe location away from the fire, call 911 immediately. If you don’t have your phone on you, go to a nearby house and ask them to make the call. Tell the operator the exact location of the fire, and stay on the line in case they need any more information.
