SolveYourProblem Article Series:
Home Emergency Preparation Tips &
Family Disaster Plans

What Do I Do in Case of Fire?

Fires are one of the most devastating things a family can go through. Most of the time families lose everything they own, or at least most of it. The tragedy of a fire is that it can spread so quickly that just getting out alive can be challenging, let alone getting the fire put out in time to save any personal possessions. A question every family should ask itself is: Do you know what to do in a fire? If you don’t know or if you have children, you should plan a family meeting in order to discuss the steps each family member should take if there is ever a fire in your home or anywhere else for that matter.

Getting Out

Obviously, the most important thing to do when a fire is suspected is to get out of the building. Families should show children how to get out of any room of the house. Although it sounds relatively easy, getting out may be a challenge in itself. If the door to your room is closed, make sure you feel it with your hand before opening it. If the door is hot, do not open it! Find another exit such as a window. If the door is cool, open it slowly and crawl on the ground to an exit.

You should always duck low when exiting the building. This will save you from inhaling too much smoke. More people die from smoke inhalation than from the actual flame of a fire. Inhaling smoke is extremely dangerous. Since heat rises, the lower you are to the ground, the cooler it will be. There is typically a difference of 800-1000 degrees between the temperature at floor level and the temperature at ceiling level in a burning building.

Don’t Waste Time

One thing many people do when their house is on fire is try to grab as much stuff as possible. Don’t ever waste time trying to collect valuables. A house can completely burn down within minutes. If you are rummaging around inside, you may become trapped and harmed. Be sure to only worry about yourself and whoever else is in the home. Be sure to yell as loud as you can, “Fire! Fire! Get outside!” so everyone can hear your warning and proceed to the exits. Practice this with your family.

If you are truly worried about jewelry or important documents, be sure to keep them in a fireproof safe in your home. You can purchase small fire proof safes at low costs to keep your most treasured valuables in. This will allow you the peace of mind you might need and discourage you from trying to grab important things before leaving during a fire.

Plan A Meeting Place

During your family meeting, be sure to designate a family meeting place near your home. This will be the place each family member will come to and stay if there is a fire. It will ensure that everyone is out of the building. Once each family member exits the home and comes to the meeting place, they should not leave. Once you are out of the burning building, you should never go back inside. If there is someone trapped or a pet trapped, leave it to the firefighters to rescue them. It is their job and they have the proper equipment and training needed to keep them safe. If you try to go back in to the house, you will likely not come back out unharmed.

Call for Help

Most likely, by the time everyone arrives at the meeting place, a neighbor has already called the fire department. If not however, be sure to run to a neighbor’s home and call for help. The sooner the fire department can get to your home, the more likely they are to save some of it. They will most likely extinguish the fire within minutes; however the damage may already be done. It is important to work with the emergency personnel.

Don’t reenter the home until they have deemed it safe. Many times the firefighters will escort the family into the home to collect whatever belongings they can before making them leave again. Your home will likely not be in any livable shape, so you won’t be able to return to normal life in it right away. Just remember, knowing what to do in a fire can be the difference between life and death. Practice these steps with your family to ensure they know exactly what to do if there is a fire.

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by SolveYourProblem.com : 2006

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