Fire is a traumatic phenomenon, so one should be prepared for it. Help yourself and your loved ones by equipping yourself with the right knowledge and mindset to survive when you find yourself inside a burning house.
Fire happens unexpectedly. While it's impossible to be 100 percent ready, preparing yourself for such instances is always good.
Here are some things you can do to make life-saving decisions from Insh.
1. Focus
Stay calm and act immediately. Yes, it's understandable for one to be stressed and get confused.
However, it would be best to remember that your body can't consume too much smoke, so you must get out. Thus, it's best to familiarize yourself with the different exit points, as you can use them as your escape routes.
Also, you should train yourself to use the fire extinguisher as it will help you big time. Learn the PASS technique with fire extinguishers and practice it frequently. But you better skip it if you don't know how to use it.
If you have companions at home, like family members, shout "Fire" to alarm them or wake them up if they are asleep and are in a different room.
2. Cover your nose and mouth
Smoke will start filling the entire house, including your room, much quicker than expected. Cover your nose and mouth because you might pass out when you breathe too much smoke.
You can wet a cloth and hold it over your nose and mouth. If you are on the upper floor and the fire outside your door is already big, you can put a wet cloth under closed doors to prevent the smoke from spreading.
Look for other exit points. For instance, if there's a window, use it to exit the room.
In case there's no adjoining roof or fire escape, hang your hands and drop to the ground to shorten the height of the fall.
If you need to break a window, use a chair or drawer. You can also use a blanket cover to protect yourself from shattered glass.
3. Stay low to the ground
If you have to leave the room without other exit points, it's best to stay low to the ground. In this situation, every second counts, and you'll breathe less smoke when you stay low to the ground, according to KidsHealth.
Smoke naturally rises. You will give yourself more time from suffering from suffocation by keeping yourself close to the ground as you make your way in your escape route. Crawl on your hands and knees and move fast!
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4. Check and close doors
When you make your way out of your house, be mindful of every door you pass on. Close every door behind you to prevent the fire from spreading fast.
Fire needs oxygen to survive, and by closing doors, you're cutting off the free flow of oxygen between rooms.
In the same way, be careful before opening a door. Do not open the door with a fire raging on the other side.
So, you should feel the door before opening it. Feel the knob or observe the smoke that's coming through the cracks.
If the next room is safe, get in, close the door behind you, and stay alert.
5. Master Strop, Drop, and Roll
In case your clothes catch fire, do not panic. Instead, stop what you're doing, drop yourself to the ground, and roll back and forth to stop the fire.
Emergency Management suggests that you cover your mouth and face while doing this. Also, ensure that your head and hair are safe from fire. Then continue to your escape route.
Always keep yourself ready for emergencies like fire. Make sure to memorize the above to give yourself a higher chance of survival.
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