How to Safely Respond to a Fire

5/9/2018 (Permalink)

House fires cannot always be avoided, but it is important that you know how to respond when they do occur.  Following these tips provided by the Red Cross will make sure that you are handling and responding to a house fire in the safest way possible to get yourself to safety.

Escape Tip 1: Do NOT Open a door that feels warm to the back of your hand

Make sure you are checking all doors for heat with the back of your hand before you attempt to open them.  The presence of heat on a door or doorknob could mean that there is fire on the other side of the door.  It is important to try to find another exit.  If there are no other exits, stay put and open a window to yell and wave a white item out of, such as a pillowcase or tee shirt.  This is an important signal for help.

Escape Tip 2: Stay Low

When moving through your house, stay low and crawl to safety!  This will help make sure you are not breathing in too much of the harmful smoke from the fire. 

Escape Tip 3: Stick to Your Plan

If you are experiencing a house fire, make sure you are sticking to the escape plan your family has gone over.  Get out of the house as quickly and safely as possible, do NOT go back in, and call 911.