As we talked about in our last entry, a house fire is always difficult to escape from. The smoke is dark and the fire is hot. It's like trying to escape a dragon's pursuit in the darkness of a full lunar eclipse. The best way to ensure that you and your loved ones make it out safely, is to establish an Emergency Escape Plan ahead of time. Then, practice it together until everyone knows what to do without thinking. A fun and practical way to practice is to turn off all the lights when you have your fire drill. Once everyone is sure what to do, practice the drill about once a month to stay in practice. Following, I will give you nine things to include in your drill.
1. Don't Jump Up Out of Bed - If you wake up and sense a fire, don't jump up. Remember the heat gets hotter the farther you are from the floor. Instead, roll out of bed onto the floor onto your hands and knees.
2. Crawl to the Door - After you roll out of bed onto the floor, crawl over to the door. Remember you should always keep your bedroom doors shut while sleeping. The closed door acts as an insulator from a fire. Touch the door, both low and higher up to see if it is hot. If it is, DO NOT OPEN IT! Instead plan to use another escape route.
3. Try the Door - If it is not hot to the touch, open the door about one to two inches only. Brace it firmly in case there is pressure from gases built up on the other side. Brace your foot against the door so the pressure doesn't force it open to quickly. If the air behind the door is warm, don't use the hallways. Pull the door shut and use an alternate route.
4. Instruct Your Children - Shout to small children to stay in their rooms with the doors closed. Remind them to open a window no more than three inches from the bottom to avoid drafts. This should be part of your pre-rehearsal instructions. They should crouch at this window and breathe the fresh air that comes in until you or a firefighter comes and gets them.
5. Use a Bedroom Window to Escape - On a one story home it is easy to escape out your bedroom window. Go around the outside of the house to get to children or those who may need assistance. Going through a house that is on fire is never the best option.
6. Crawl to Safety - If there is no way to exit from a window safely, crawl down the hallways to gather those who need assistance and get out as soon as possible. Keep your head about one to tow feet off the floor. This is vital! The intense heat rises to a point about this height and the noxious gases produced by burning materials tend to amass below this level. Cover your nose and mouth with a wet cloth. Take short, shallow breaths.
7. Ladders Help in Escaping & Rescue - If you live in a two story home, have a sturdy ladder that can reach all second story windows. This will aid you in rescuing other members of your family. Also an escape ladder secured at the window of each bedroom on the second floor, can help family members get to safety on their own.
8. Never Jump Out of a Window in a Panic - A hasty jump may cause an injury that keeps you from being able to get to safety or help others. If you must escape from a second story window, hand over the ledge to make yourself closer to the ground.
9. Gather At Your Meeting Place - Always meet at the same place so everyone knows if everyone is safe or someone is missing. This has to be a part of every fire escape plan and drill you practice.
10. Practice Creates Habits - It isn't enough to write a plan or even talk about it. You must practice with everyone who lives in the house so it becomes a habit. Habitual behavior will take you through an otherwise chaotic situation. Practice your fire escape plan.
