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> 11 Vital Steps when Fire Strikes
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11 Vital Steps when Fire Strikes
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11 Vital Steps When Fire Strikes
- Alert others by shouting "Fire".
- Walk in a crouched position.
- Escape through nearest exit.
- Don't waste time dressing.
- Don't try to gather valuables.
- Never open a hot door.
- If possible, place a wet cloth over nose and mouth.
- Close all doors behind you.
- Meet at a pre-established location outside your home.
- Call fire department from a neighbor's phone.
- Never go back into a burning house.
ESCAPE PLANNING
ALMOST EVERY HOME IS A FIRE TRAP
Most homes have only one route of escape - the one hallway or stairway to the front door. If this passage is blocked by flame or smoke, you are in a trap! Don't let your past luck in not having had a fire make you overconfident.
HEAT RISES!
1,000 degree temperatures can travel far ahead of the actual flames. Your normal escape path can become a DEATH TRAP...when you open your bedroom door to escape. Your hallway or stairway can become filled with long scorching heat, poisonous fumes and blinding, choking smoke. "In a fire, HEAT hits you like a slap in the face, SMOKE blinds your eyes, HEATED GASES choke your breath away. No wonder people PANIC...do senseless, fatal things!"
WHERE DO MOST HOME FIRES START?
...in this order:
- Living Room 37%
- Kitchen 22%
- Basement 14%
- Bedrooms 13%
- all others 14%.
Most fires start where they are likely to block your usual hall-stairway escape (from bedrooms).
YOU MUST PLAN 2 EXITS FROM EVERY BEDROOM!
AFTER A FIRE STARTS --
- Rouse all occupants immediately.
- Get out of the building immediately, using your escape plan.
- Get the entire family together and keep them together - don't let anyone go back in the building, even to attempt a rescue.
- Call the fire department. If you call by telephone, stay on the line until you're sure the dispatcher has the location of your house. If you use a fire alarm box, stay at the box so you can show the fire department where the fire is when they arrive.
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