Fire! Fire! … Api!…

The Borneo Post Online, 15 May 2014

FACING AN OUT OF CONTROL FIRE can be very scary. In fact many would panic and freeze unable to think of what to do next.

So you may think you will never fall victim to a house fire, it is better to be prepared and know what to do in the event a fire does breaks out of control.

If a fire breaks out at home, first priority is getting yourself and family members our as quickly as possible. Do not stop to get valuables. You may not even have time to rescue your beloved pet. Timing is everything.

Whether it is a house fire or a fire at the workplace – FIRST, GET OUT!

What to do in case of fire?

• When you become aware of a fire or hear a fire alarm, first priority is getting out safely. Once you are out safely, call 999 or 112 on your mobile phone and report the fire.
• If you were the one who discovers the fire, get out of the building, raising the alarm as you do.
• Take all fire alarms seriously and leave immediately. Do not stop. If it is your workplace, proceed to the designated assembly area outside the building.
• Feel door handles. If they are warm or hot to touch, do not open them. Find another way out of your room. If you can’t get out, signal or call for help.
• Close doors behind you.
• Stay low when there is smoke where the air is cleaner or cooler.
• Always use closest exit or stairway, avoid elevators.
• If the alarm trigger panel is on your way out, pull it.
• Once outside, do not go back in.
• If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop and roll.
• Cool burns with water as soon as possible and seek medical attention.

Fire drills are a big part of being safe at work or even at home or school. They prepare you for what you need to do in the event of a fire break out.

What a fire drill does:

• Provides for an escape plan out of the burning house or building quickly and safely.
• Have a backup escape route in case the primary route is blocked. Smoke can make it difficult to see one’s way out or flames may be raging on the pathway out, so it is good to know where other exits are.
• Prepares a person to react in an actual emergency. It is good to have a fire drill at home or office at least once a year, preferably twice.

Common causes of fire break out:

• Leaving cooking unattended
• Smoking in bed
• Children playing with matches, lighters or other fire sources
• Mal-functioned stove, electrical appliances
• Overloading of electrical sockets
• Illegal extensions of electrical wiring
• Old electrical wirings
• Short circuit of electricity
• Improper storage of flammable items
• Lightning strikes
• Arson

Good practice

• Have safety equipment such as fire extinguishers and safety ladders maintained and in easily found locations. It is important to know how to use them. Have extinguishers checked yearly and replaced if defective.
• Install smoke detectors and make sure they work. Don’t forget to replace batteries once a year. Have them replaced every five years.
• Practice escape plan with whole family or coworkers. Fire out break may never happen but you just cannot be sure. It is better to be safe than sorry.
• Have a specific location away from the building to be safe but near enough to get to it quickly.
• Clean home appliances or office equipment regularly to prevent fires.
• Do not reenter a building on fire once you have safely exit. This is not the movies or TV show where the hero rushes into the flames to attempt a rescue. Going back into the building may mean one more fire victim the firefighters have to look for.
• In a fire, it may be impossible to get from one part of the building to another, so everyone old enough must know how to get out of every room in the place even if the usual doors are inaccessible.
• Never hide under the bed or in the closet in a fire. Rescuers may have a hard time finding you.

Cetak Emel