Fire drills are important exercises that should be taken seriously. They will serve as the ultimate guide for people so that they should know what to do in case a fire breaks out. Some things done in practice are likely to be forgotten when a real fire breaks out due to panic and fear.
But still it is extremely important for people to know what to do when an unexpected fire suddenly breaks out, so emergency preparedness is a must. Talking about fire could be terrifying because of the idea of being burned or stuck in a place where it is currently engulfed in fire.
But with enough preparedness and knowledge about what to do could make you less scared and worried. Here are some things on what to do during a fire.
1. Always know your way out.
If you are at home, make sure that your exits or your doorways are not blocked at all times. So that in case a house fire breaks out, you and your family would easily make your way out quickly and safely.
It would be hard for you to see once smoke starts to appear everywhere, so it is important that you know where your exits are by memory. And if in any case, you are in a public place, look for the nearest fire exit signs.
UK’s experts note that it is a good thing that most of these signs are lit and could easily be found, but taking notice of it beforehand while in a public place could help you out too in case of emergencies.
2. Stay low to the ground.
When exiting your house or a burning building and the smoke starts to fill up the place, then you need to stay low to the ground. The smoke usually causes more pain and trouble to people than the actual flames. It is advisable for you to crawl your way out since smoke naturally rises and you would inhale less smoke if you do.
3. Check the exits for heat.
When you are evacuating the building, make sure to check the exits for heat to make sure that there is no fire on the other side of it. If smoke is visible under the door, then do not open it. Find an alternative way to get out.
If the door handles are not warm and are cool with no smoke coming from underneath, then you could use that as your exit. Once you open the door, make sure to quickly shut it so that smoke will not come out of the burning room and you would not feel the burst of heat.
4. Get out and stay out.
Once a fire breaks out, the first thing should do is evacuate immediately. There would be no time for you to hoard everything to save from your house. Get your family, get your kids, get everyone out to safety first. And stay outside until help arrives.
Do not go back to your house, or any burning building for any reason. Not even to get important documents, or get your gadgets. Once everyone is out and safe, you just stay together, find a safe place, and let the authorities take care of the fire.
