Preparedness for when

[Deleted User]

On those very rare occasions when we stay in a hotel the very first thing we do after putting our baggage into the room is to find the escape route and actually walk it from our room, I'd never NOT do that and I'd really never consider a lift as part of my escape plan. Check out all alternative escape routes and make sure you know your way even in the darkness as lots of modern hotels have lighting that is on a sensor and only comes on when your presence in the corridor activates the sensor which might not be working if there was damage to the system.

Karmacat

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

No offence, but that won't be much use, on anything but a pan/stove fire.

This was about my post that I have a fire blanket.

No offence taken Bob, thats exactly what its for.

[Deleted User]

Karmacat wrote: »

This was about my post that I have a fire blanket.

No offence taken Bob, that's exactly what its for.

I appreciate that, but I meant, it wouldn't be of much use in the event of a house fire.

[Deleted User]

VJsmum wrote: »

and we always lock the front door and keep the key in the lock.

I never use the deadbolt lock, when I'm in the house.

Instead, I lock the door with a bolt and turn-button.

[Deleted User]

GreyQueen wrote: »

and immediately familiarise himself, wife and children with the fire escape route.

I do the same, and also on public transport. In particular, I count the number of seats (or, in a hotel, doors) between where I am, and the exits.

If you need to get out of a crashed/burning airliner/train/coach (or a burning hotel), you may not have time to feel your way to the exits.

Karmacat

I've just been sweeping the stairs (I use a handbrush, vacuum cleaner so ill its useless)... usually when I do that, I have an allergy attack about 3 hours later, that lasts for the rest of the day. Today, I used one of those dust masks thats supposed to protect against, erm, dust :rotfl: plus a shower cap to stop it getting in my hair. I looked very odd I washed my hands and rinsed my eyes when I'd finished. We'll see if I still get the allergy attack or not.

Got to say, even the *strap* on those masks is incredibly flimsy. And I think I pulled the shower cap down too far - bright red line across my forehead :rotfl:

ivyleaf

We were staying in a Premier Inn a couple of years ago and were woken by the fire alarm at 7 a.m.

The problem was that it didn't sound like our (most people's?) idea of a fire alarm. We would have expected a bell; instead, it was a sort of cross between a siren and the sound a landline phone makes when you don't replace the receiver properly.

And it was coming from within the room rather than from the corridor as we'd have expected.

So instead of yelling "Ohmigod it's the fire alarm!" and leaping out of bed (not that OH would be able to leap out of bed anyway), we actually lay there for some moments, dazedly trying to work out what it was. Then I threw on some clothes and went down to reception to find out what was going on. OH was just not well enough to get up in a rush unless it was a genuine emergency so I had to leave him in bed :eek:

The noise stopped when I was on the way, and I found the receptionist explaining to successive confused guests that yes, it had indeed been the fire alarm, but it was all right, the restaurant had just started serving breakfast and someone had burnt the toast.

At least we now know what Premier Inn fire alarms sound like

nuatha

Frugalsod wrote: »

I opted for a fire blanket. Fire extinguishers need to be checked regularly and have a shelf life. Though I also do what I can to reduce fire risks as well. In the worst case scenario a fire blanket can be used to cover your head as you exit through a fire.

I've seen fire blankets become impregnated with grease - commercial kitchen lots of frying - in which case they may be worse than useless. In general use a fire blanket should be near enough immortal.

Its cheaper to buy a new fire extinguisher than pay for the discharge/extended service every fire years - which means a five year refresher in how to use a fire extinguisher - its no good relying on kit you've no idea how to operate.

Frugalsod

nuatha wrote: »

I've seen fire blankets become impregnated with grease - commercial kitchen lots of frying - in which case they may be worse than useless. In general use a fire blanket should be near enough immortal.

Its cheaper to buy a new fire extinguisher than pay for the discharge/extended service every fire years - which means a five year refresher in how to use a fire extinguisher - its no good relying on kit you've no idea how to operate.

Yes a well used fire blanket would become next to useless if impregnated with grease. Though a commercial user really should replace them if that were ever to happen.

Since I do not use much oil anyway and almost always as an ingredient rather than to cook in, I have yet to have a fire. So my fire blanket has yet to see any use. Since I also do not do anything which has a higher risk of fire, such as smoking or ironing, so the only risk is electronic gadgets, and so many of these are not plugged in unless used. Also all my electrical items are plugged into surge protectors as well to eliminate the risks from a power surge. By using surge protectors it its easier to turn the power off to all the plugged in devices at once.

[Deleted User]

Baileys_Babe wrote: »

Now I just need songs for hail, snow and very windy.

I can't help you with those, but for thunder, there's Dreams by Fleetwood Mac.