When There's a Fire

When the fire alarm sounds
All fire alarms should be treated as the real thing. It is important to understand that any delay in evacuating may be harmful to you as smoke from what appears to be a minor or small fire may carry hazardous toxins. Be prepared.
Stop what you are doing immediately. Secure any confidential work quickly. If this is not possible, take it with you.
Go to the nearest stairway or designated exit. Do not carry coffee, soda, or food. Take only what is necessary.
Enter stairway and move to the inside railing. Allow personnel from lower floors to intertwine with you as you proceed down the stairs.
Once you exit at the ground floor (or designated exit level) do not stop. Proceed away from the building for at least one hundred (100) feet, or to your designated safety area.
Obey the monitors. They have taken the time to become familiar with the fire safety plan and are there for you safety.
If a fire occurs in your building
Report the fire to the Fire Department by dialing 911. Don't assume someone else has already called.
Prior to leaving your office, feel the door before opening it. If the door is hot, or if smoke is seeping through, do not open. Try another door if available. If you choose to open the door do it cautiously and if possible proceed as outlined in your escape plan.
Walk quickly, keep calm, and pull the building fire alarm if it is not already ringing, to alert others.
If you encounter smoke, stay low where the air is better. Take short breaths until you reach the stairwell. Once in the stairwell, you are in a relatively safe area and can move at a more normal pace.
If you should become trapped in your office and cannot reach an alternate exit, keep the door closed and seal off any cracks. If a telephone is available, call 911 and report you are trapped and give your location in the building. Then go to a window and signal for help. Do not panic or jump.
Evacuate by using the stairway, not the elevator. The elevator is reserved for use by the Fire Department in an emergency situation.
Do not re-enter the building until directed to do so by the Fire Department.

Home and community
What to do if there's a fire

If there’s a fire, you need to act quickly. Make sure you are prepared and that everyone in your house knows exactly what to do.
Alert everyone
Make sure everyone in the house knows about the fire – shout and get everyone together.
Get everyone out
You should have an escape route planned that everyone in your house is familiar with. If you don’t have one already, see 'Planning a safe escape' for information on how to make an escape plan for your home. As you escape, remember:
don’t delay to save valuables or look for pets
don’t investigate the fire
crawl on the floor if there’s smoke - the air is cleaner near the floor, so put your nose as low as possible; remember - smoke is poisonous and can kill you
as you go out, only open the doors you need to and close any open doors you can to slow the spread of the fire
before you open doors, feel them with the back of your hand; if they’re warm, don’t open them – the fire is on the other side
if you’re escaping with others, stay together if you can
Planning a safe escape
If your clothes catch fire
don’t run around – you will fan the flames and make them burn faster
lie down - this makes it harder for the fire to spread and reduces the effect of flames on your face and head (flames burn upwards)
smother the flames - cover the flames with heavy material, like a coat or blanket; this blocks the fire's supply of oxygen
roll around – rolling smothers the flames
When you can't get out by your escape route
If your escape route is blocked:
if you’re on the ground floor, go out of a window – throw bedding or cushions onto the ground outside to break your fall
if you can’t open the window, use a heavy object to break it at the bottom corner – cover any jagged edges with clothing, a towel or a blanket
lower children as far as possible before letting them drop – get an adult to break their fall if you can
lower yourself by your arms from the window ledge before dropping
If you can’t get out, get everyone into one room:
choose a room with a window, if you can
put cushions, towels or bedding at the bottom of the door to block smoke
open the window and call for help
think now about which room might be best for this – you need a window that can be opened and, if possible, a phone for calling 999
Call 999
Once you’re out and safe, use a mobile phone, a neighbour’s phone, or a phone box to call the emergency services (999 calls are free). When you speak to the operator:
give your whole address, including the town
tell them what is on fire, eg 'a two-storey house'
explain if anyone is trapped and what room they’re in – the more information you can give the Fire and Rescue Service, the more quickly and effectively they can help you
Don't go back in
You should find somewhere safe to wait near the building. If there's someone still inside, wait for the Fire and Rescue Service to arrive. You can tell them about the person and they will be able to find them quicker than you.
If you go back into the building, you will slow down the fire-fighters' efforts to rescue anyone else missing, as well as putting your own life in great danger.
What to do if you live in a high-rise flat
If you live in a block of flats, you will need to consider that a fire could start directly outside your flat, or in the stairwell. See the link below to 'Planning a safe escape' for more information on planning an escape - it includes specific guidance for plans for high-rises.
If a fire starts in your flat or the stairwell and you can’t get out:
get everyone into a room with a window; put cushions, bedding, or clothes around the bottom of the door to block smoke
open the window - if you feel in serious danger, wave a sheet out of the window so the fire-fighters know you're there
if the fire is directly outside your flat, seal your front door with tape if you can, as well as using bedding or clothesclose any ventilators and phone 999, giving the number of your flat
if your front door becomes hot, wet it down


Fire drills are a big part of being safe in school: They prepare you for what you need to do in case of a fire. But what if there was a fire where you live? Would you know what to do? Talking about fires can be scary because no one likes to think about people getting hurt or their things getting burned. But you can feel less worried if you are prepared.
It's a good ideas for families to talk about what they would do to escape a fire. Different families will have different strategies. Some kids live in one-story houses and other kids live in tall buildings. You'll want to talk about escape plans and escape routes, so let's start there.
Know Your Way Out
An escape plan can help every member of a family get out of a burning house. The idea is to get outside quickly and safely. Smoke from a fire can make it hard to see where things are, so it's important to learn and remember the different ways out of your home. How many exits are there? How do you get to them from your room? It's a good idea to have your family draw a map of the escape plan.
It's possible one way out could be blocked by fire or smoke, so you'll want to know where other ones are. And if you live in an apartment building, you'll want to know the best way to the stairwell or other emergency exits.