180
HOUSEHOLD EMERGENCIES
Fires in the home
Statistics show that once fire takes hold, you have less than 3 minutes to escape the flames and toxic smoke, and get to safety. With such a limited period of time, it is vital to have organized safe escape routes from your home and to have regular fire drills with the whole family. Install fire ladders to give you a better chance of escaping from upper floors. If a fire is small, try to put it out yourself using water, a fire extinguisher, or a fire blanket. However, if the flames are still burning after 30 seconds, you should leave the building immediately. To give yourself advance warning of a fire, install smoke alarms on every floor of the house and make sure that they are tested regularly.
ACTION PLAN
START
Are you in the same room as the fire?
Yes
Do you have a fire blanket or extinguisher that you know how to use?
No
Is the fire small?
Yes
Yes
No
No
Have you managed to put out the fire within 30 seconds?
Can you safely enter the room to assess the fire?
Yes
No
ACTION
EVACUATE BUILDING AND DIAL 911 OR CALL THE FIRE DEPT( see Escaping from a domestic fire, p. 181).
Yes
No
ACTION
OPEN WINDOWS AND DOORS TO CLEAR REMAINING SMOKE.