SAS Urban Survival Handbook (57 page)

COVER WITH A DAMP BLANKET/TOWEL (SWITCH OFF POWER)

EVACUATE

Because of the risk of toxic fumes

IF THE FIRE GETS OUT OF CONTROL

Evacuate and call the fire brigade

ELECTRIC BLANKET FIRE

Do
NOT
open windows

Do
NOT
roll back bedding to inspect damage

SWITCH OFF AT THE SOCKET

If necessary, switch off at consumer unit/fuse box

DRENCH THE BED

A bucket of water, at least

EVACUATE

Because of the possibility of highly-toxic fumes

CALL THE FIRE BRIGADE

PARAFFIN HEATER FIRE

Do
NOT
use water or a water extinguisher (red) to put out a fire, even if there is a spillage of burning fuel

DO NOT MOVE HEATER

On no account try to carry a burning heater

SMOTHER THE FIRE

Use a fire blanket or a dry powder (blue) extinguisher. Aim it right into the appliance or at the base of flames

DON’T PEER UNDER BLANKET!

Evacuate and call the fire brigade

CYLINDER GAS FIRE

• ▶
  In the event of a fire involving a gas cylinder Turn off the gas at the cylinder Move it away from the flames Use a fire extinguisher on the flames
  
• ▶
  If you cannot reach the cylinder, or if the fire is spreading GET OUT!
  Get well clear of the house, call the fire brigade and tell them a gas cylinder is involved in the fire
  

FURNITURE FIRE

Synthetic fabrics and older ‘non-safe’ foams have a tendency to ‘flare up’ suddenly and burn fiercely.
Do NOT
stand too close

BEWARE TOXIC FUMES

Evacuate! Do
NOT
attempt to extinguish a fire involving synthetic materials/ foams. If the fire is very small and easily smothered, you
MUST
still evacuate and call the fire brigade

NON-SYNTHETIC FURNITURE

Cool with water or water extinguisher (red). Keep going until smouldering stops. Evacuate to fresh air

NEVER

• ■
  Try to take burning furniture outside
  
• ■
  Stay in a room filled with smoke and fumes
  
• ■
  Open a window to ventilate unless fire is extinguished
  

CARPET FIRE

Vulnerable to fire from sparks or a dropped cigarette. Most carpets won’t burn rapidly

IF YOU’RE QUICK

If the spark or cigarette has just fallen, stamp out fire (or smother). Douse with water to cool

IF FIRE HAS STARTED

Use fire blanket to smother, or water/water extinguisher (red) to cool

SYNTHETIC CARPET/FOAM UNDERLAY

Evacuate. There is a risk of highly-toxic fumes. Call the fire brigade

FAT FIRE

▶
TURN OFF THE HEAT

IF YOU HAVE A LID FOR THE PAN

Replace it immediately to smother the flames

IF YOU HAVE A FIRE BLANKET

Approach with the blanket held up to protect your face and smother the flames

IF YOU HAVE NO LID OR BLANKET

Cover the pan with a damp towel or chopping board

DO NOT

Move the pan until the fat has cooled

REMEMBER

Burning fat/oil and water are a very bad combination. Throwing water on burning fat (or using a water extinguisher) will splash burning fat and spread fire. In some circumstances water will make a fat fire burn extremely fiercely

CHIMNEY FIRE

A chimney fire could be very serious. You may not know you have a chimney fire at first. If you see sparks or flames coming out of anyone’s chimney, you should tell them

CALL THE FIRE BRIGADE

Before you do anything else

CLEAR THE AREA

Move carpets, furniture and any flammable objects away from the fuel burning appliance/fireplace. Burning debris is likely to fall down the chimney

CLOSE DOORS AND WINDOWS

This won’t smother the fire, but it will reduce its air intake

USE EARTH

Use garden earth to smother the fire in the fireplace

USE SOAPY WATER

Detergent helps water to smother burning embers. Steam will be produced—this will help dampen the fire further up the chimney

IF IN DOUBT

If the room is filled with smoke—or the fire seems to have spread—do
NOT
waste time! Evacuate and wait for the fire brigade

ESCAPE!

In all but the most MINOR fire situation, you should implement your fire drill immediately. Everyone in the home or workplace will know what to do and how to escape. Nevertheless, it is impossible to predict how a fire will behave—even in your own home you might find yourself in a situation that you could not have prepared for.

Outside the home or workplace—in a building you are not familiar with—the range of pre-fire precautions that you can take are even more limited. Both these factors make it essential that you know the rules for escaping from a burning building and what to do if you become trapped. Mistakes in these crucial seconds and minutes could cost you your life.

Your priority at all times is to get out of a building as safely as possible. This means finding a safe way around a blaze and through a ground floor door or window.

Moving through a burning building

There are three rules for moving through a burning building:

• ◑ Test all doors for fire on the other side
  
• ◑ Close doors/windows as you go
  
• ◑ Stay as low to the floor as possible
  

WARNING

If a door to a room fits well and is closed it can contain fire for some time. Wood in the structure of a building is surprisingly fire resistant. Often after a house fire timbers, though charred, are still in place after the rest of the house has been gutted. Opening a door without caution could mean that you are suddenly engulfed by flames.

Testing all doors

This is important, because there may be little sign that there is a fire on the other side. In the case of a door which opens towards you, opening the door of a room that contains fire is VERY dangerous—the sudden influx of oxygen can cause flames to flare up and blast anyone in the doorway with ultra-hot air. The door knob (especially if made of metal) is the best conductor of heat. Put the back of your hand to the knob, if it is HOT your hand will jerk away immediately. The back of your hand is usually more responsive to heat. You might burn the skin and you need your fingers! Do NOT open the door.

If the door knob is not hot you may proceed, but before opening the door brace your foot against the bottom of it. Only then open the door by a couple of centimetres. Look into the room to check. If it is safe, open the door and enter. Had the room contained fire your foot would have stopped the door being blown open by a flare-up.

Close all doors

As you proceed, close all doors and windows, behind you. Closed doors hold back fire and closed windows cut down the amount of oxygen reaching a fire.

Stay low

Smoke fills a room from the ceiling down. At all times keep your head near the floor—crawling if necessary—where the air will be cleaner and safer. Staying low also avoids tripping or stumbling over objects. Hold a handkerchief or cloth (wet if possible) over your mouth/nose.

HIGH-RISE FIRE

All the same rules as above apply if you live or work in a high-rise building, however there is a greater risk that you will not be able to reach ground level safely. Follow these rules:

• ■
  NEVER use a lift during a fire – you could be trapped if power fails or doors might open automatically onto a blazing floor.
  
• ■
  NEVER leave your flat or room (in a hotel) without your keys – you may need to retrace your steps so you do not want to be locked out.
  
• ■
  Set off the fire alarm and bang on other people’s doors to alert them.
  
• ■
  NEVER try to descend a stairway that is blocked by fire. Climb upwards away from the fire and onto the roof or a balcony (see Trapped!).
  
• ■
  In very large buildings, if you know which side the fire is burning, make for the other side and use staircases there.
  

WARNING

Over 50 per cent of fire deaths are due to toxic fumes and smoke.

Inhaled smoke can irritate the throat causing it to contract in a sudden spasm – closing the airway. Someone found in a smokefilled room may be unconscious and their breathing may have stopped. You should:

• ■
  Drag victim away from smoke, preferably to safety outside
  
• ■
  If victim is breathing but unconscious put the victim in the recovery position
  
• ■
  If breathing has stopped or is difficult, give artificial respiration until help arrives
  

FIREMAN’S LIFT