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Prevention is the best defense, so always be prepared with a plan and essential fire escape skills. Map out your home or building's layout, including room locations and escape routes in multi-story structures.
Whether you're in high-rise buildings or planning outdoor activities like camping in the forest, here are three fire escape methods vital for your safety.
Part 1: Essential Home Fire Escape Skills
1. Develop and Practice Your Fire Escape Plan
- Create a fire escape strategy for all family members in advance to ensure preparedness. Identify all exits and pathways to a safe area.
- Ensure escape routes do not lead to enclosed areas to prevent smoke inhalation risks for you and your family.
- Teach all family members how to open doors, windows, and fences. Regularly inspect potential escape routes and areas in case of fire.
- Conduct escape drills about once or twice every two months, including at night, to prepare for possible fire incidents that could lead to casualties.
2. Identify Each Family Member's Strengths and Weaknesses
- After planning and practicing escape skills with all members, review each person's strengths and weaknesses for improvement.
Ensure mobility aids for elderly or disabled family members are easily accessible in emergencies, such as wheelchairs or walkers, to facilitate a quick evacuation in case of fire.
- Immediately contact the fire department and emergency services in the event of a fire, and alert neighbors to help extinguish the flames.
3. Crawl to Avoid Inhaling Smoke
If there's smoke due to a fire, remember to crawl on the floor where the air is clearer. Keep your nose as close to the ground as possible to avoid toxic smoke, which can be lethal. Staying low also helps you see escape routes better.
4. Before Opening, Test Door Heat with the Back of Your Hand
- Before opening a door, press the back of your hand against it. If it feels hot, do not open as flames may be on the other side, posing a risk. Look for alternative escape routes or windows if the main exit is too hot or on fire.
- Use the back of your hand, not the palm, to test door temperature. The skin on the back of your hand is less sensitive and reduces the risk of burns, which could hinder your escape or ability to crawl for safety.
- Upon exiting, only open the doors you need and close any open doors behind you to help contain the fire.
5. Never Hide During a Fire
Avoid hiding places like under beds or in closets during a fire. These spots make it difficult for firefighters and family to locate you. Stay calm and make your way to the nearest exit immediately.
6. Seek Alternative Exits
If the primary escape route is compromised by fire or smoke, know your alternatives. Use a phone to alert emergency services of your location or signal for help with a flashlight or any available means if you're unable to make a call.
- Block smoke from entering by sealing door gaps with blankets, clothes, or bedsheets.
Part 2: Essential Escape Skills for High-Rise Building Fires
Here are crucial escape skills for high-rise building fires:
1. Move to a Safe Exit
Familiarize yourself with the layout and emergency exits of apartment buildings or high-rises to prepare for fires. Identify the quickest routes to fire escapes and alternative exits.
2. Use the Stairs for Evacuation
- In case of fire, avoid elevators and opt for stairways instead. Practice navigating your building's stairways periodically to know the number of doors to the stairs and the time it takes to reach them.
- Activate the fire alarm to alert the building management in emergencies.
- Turn back immediately if you encounter smoke in the stairwell.
- Regularly ensure that the stairwell doors can be opened from both sides.
3. Consider Mobility Issues for Evacuation
- Inform residents or office staff about using the stairwell for evacuation.
- If wheelchair-bound and unable to use stairs, seek help from someone nearby. Remember to call local emergency services if a fire occurs.
- If elevators are out and you're trapped on a higher floor, use emergency services to communicate your exact location and signal to those outside with any means available.
4. Ensure Stairwell Doors Open from Both Sides
- Verify that stairwell doors can be opened from both sides. If corridor or stairwell doors are locked, return to your room and use bedding, clothes, etc., to block gaps and signal from a window with a flashlight or any available means.
- Always use the back of your hand to feel door handles before opening doors during an escape.
Part 3: Essential Wildfire Escape Skills
1. Move Downhill and With the Wind
- Dry, hot weather often leads to wildfires. In case of one, move in the direction the wind is blowing.
- Look towards the sky to gauge the direction of the smoke.
- Observe the direction in which leaves and branches are swaying.
2. Seek Areas Free of Flammable Materials
- After moving downhill and with the wind, aim to find areas devoid of flammable materials like dry trees and grass.
- Avoid isolated areas dense with underbrush and thickets.
3. Seek Rivers, Streams, or Bodies of Water
- If safe areas are unreachable, look for nearby drains, rivers, or streams for refuge.
- Immediately contact local authorities and provide your exact location for assistance.
4. Master Safe Mountain Climbing and Camping Skills
- Develop mountain climbing and camping skills for safety, especially under extreme weather conditions like droughts and heatwaves, which significantly increase wildfire risks.
- Coordinate with forest rangers to assess the wildfire history of your camping area.
- Avoid lighting campfires during hot, dry weather conditions.
- If your campfire spreads, remain calm and extinguish the flames while they are still manageable.
5. Evacuate Immediately Upon Wildfire Alert
- Upon receiving a wildfire alert, evacuate all members immediately and swiftly. If you live in a wildfire-prone area, stay alert and keep abreast of updates around the clock.
- Contact emergency services immediately if you detect a nearby wildfire and haven't been ordered to evacuate yet.
This article on Mytour has just provided you with three essential tips for escaping in case of a fire. Remember, human life is paramount, so it's crucial to learn and adhere to the regulations in your living or working area to prevent fires.
