There are many ways to prevent a fire from breaking out in your home. From keeping an eye out for unexpected fire hazards to installing smoke alarms, there are many precautions to take that will keep your home and loved ones safe. But unfortunately, fires do still break out. That’s why it’s important that you and your family know how to stay safe during a fire.
In 2016, U.S fire departments responded to 352,000 home fires. If a fire breaks out in your home, here are some tips on how to stay safe:
React
If you hear the smoke alarm, MOVE. Do not grab belongings or personal items. Try your best to exit the premises. It’s important to react quickly, but try to stay calm. Panicking will only make the situation worse.
Find a Safe Exit
To make sure the door is safe to exit through, look for smoke under the door. If you don’t see smoke then place your hands on the back of the door, if it is cool then it is safe to exit. If the door is hot, then DO NOT exit from this door! Try to escape from a window.
Stay Low
Smoke inhalation is a dangerous side effect of fires we don’t often think about. Smoke inhalation can make people disoriented or cause a person to become unconscious. It can also cause significant damage to your lungs.
To protect yourself from smoke inhalation, get low by crawling or crouching, and cover your mouth and nose with some sort of cloth.
Stop, Drop & Roll
If your clothes catch fire, immediately stop, drop, and roll. This is the quickest way to smother the fire. Cover your face with your hands while rolling to protect yourself.
Ward Off Smoke
If you can’t escape, then go into a safe room and ward off the smoke while you wait for help. Close the door, then cover all cracks in the doors and vents with a wet cloth. From there, you can figure out how to get help.
Get Away From the Structure
When you’ve made it out of the house, get as far away from the structure as possible. Even when you make it outside of the house, a structural fire is very dangerous.
Take a Head Count
Once outside, take a head count to ensure everyone has made it outside. Also take a moment to do an injury assessment, and do what you can to address any injuries.
Call 911
If no safety vehicles have arrived by this point call 911. If you weren’t able to grab your cellphone, go to a neighbor’s house and call from there.
To prevent accidents or injuries, create a fire safety & escape plan with your family in case an emergency incident occurs. You should also test your smoke alarms every month, and when necessary, replace batteries immediately.
Following these steps and understanding how to stay safe during a fire will increase your chances of survival in the event a fire breaks out. But taking preventative measures will decrease the chances of a fire occurring at all. Learn how Sonitrol security systems can keep your home and family safe from fires or home invasions.