Fire safety

PINGLEIST

There are a few simple steps anyone can make regardng fire safety;

Fit smoke alarms on all floors and test them regularly, some Fire Brigades fit them free of charge. Give them a call
Make sure all internal doors close into the frames and get into the habit of closing them all at night
Take your door keys with you when retiring so you know exactly where they are if the worst happens, or you can throw them to the Firemen so they can enter your house quickly
Have a phone in your bedroom and call 999 if you hear a smoke alarm actuating
STAY in your bedroom and try to arouse everyone in the house, if all doors are closed and you see smoke entering through the frame of the door, place some bedding around the gaps and open your bedrrom window

Hope this helps.

thesaint

PINGLEIST wrote: »

STAY in your bedroom and try to arouse everyone in the house,

I don't think that this would be on most people's minds when a fire is raging through their house.

PINGLEIST

thesaint wrote: »

I don't think that this would be on most people's minds when a fire is raging through their house.

Maybe not but it certainly beats being overcome by fumes at the bottom of the stairs.

Doozergirl

thesaint wrote: »

I don't think that this would be on most people's minds when a fire is raging through their house.

:rotfl: LMAO!! I think that's the second time today you've made me laugh. You're on fire!
(gets coat)

Gorgeous_George

We should all look at our homes and consider what we would do if a fire broke out. It's the same when buying.

Could you get out if there was a fire?

I live in a bungalow and it's only the bathroom that I couldn't easily escape from. An elderly relative may need some assistance. Having thought about it now, I see that the room that the elderly relative usually occupies is at the back of the house which wouldn't be easily accessible to rescuers. And, my smoke alarm is still in the box. I'll put it up tonight.

GG

glastowinebar

With reference to the original poster...ring your local building control office, they deal with it.

You should have a fire plan just in case a fire does 'rage' through your house while you are asleep.. If you have a smoke alarm, hopefully that will wake you in the early stages of a fire and you can all make your way out of the house if it's safe to do so...obviously alerting those not awake. Remember do not try and get any valuables on the way out and certainly don't go back in. If the fire has taken hold and is on it's way up the stairs, all the family should know what to do.

If you are trapped then put a blanket/duvet at the bottom of your bedroom door to stop toxic smoke getting in, it is usually the smoke that kills. If you have a phone in the bedroom than dial 999, if not open a window and scream for all you're worth to wake neighbours. If the smoke is already in the bedroom then get down low as hot smoke rises and then spreads across the ceiling and decends when it gets cooler at ceiling level. Initially there will be a small gap of air at floor level so if it is a matter of kissing the floor till help arrives then do so.
If you can, try and drop a mattress or blankets out of the window as close to the wall as possible and if the worse comes to the worse and you have to leave via the window it will break your fall. Do not jump, hang at arms length from the window, this will mean there is less height to fall from and try and fall on to the mattress.

FIT A SMOKE ALARM

floss2

Don't forget, if the loft was converted several years ago, it would not have fallen into building regs....ours doesn't, because it was done over 18yrs ago.

Tim_Deegan

thesaint wrote: »

I don't think that this would be on most people's minds when a fire is raging through their house.

If you have smoke alarms fitted then you should be woken up long before any fire would be raging through your house (unless an accelerant has been used). Smoke alarms are very sensitive, and fitted properly should alert you when there are just a few whisps of smoke.

All fire services in England (possibly the rest of the UK also) will give your home a free home safety check. If required they will also fit smoke alarms free of charge. Contact your local fire service's 'fire safety department', or simply contact your local fire station.

If you are woken by your smoke alarm, then do the following:

Raise the Alarm and Call 999

If your smoke alarm goes off in the middle of the night do not investigate to see if there is a fire. Instead the first thing you should do is shout to wake everyone up and follow your escape plan and get out.

Check closed doors with the back of your hand - if they are warm do not open them - the fire is on the other side. If there is a lot of smoke, crawl along the floor, where the air will be fresher.

If your escape route is blocked get everyone into one room and close the door. Put bedding or towels along the bottom of the door to seal the gap - smoke and fumes can kill people quickly so it is important to stop them getting into the room.

Open the window and stay near it for fresh air and to let the firefighters see you. Phone the fire service or shout for help so that someone else can phone for you.

Tackling Fire

There is no such thing as a safe fire. It is better for you to prevent fire than to fight it. Tackling fire is a job best left to the professional firefighters. You should only tackle a fire if it is in its early stages and you are completely sure you can put it out and stay safe.

Escaping From a Window

If you are on the ground or first floor you may be able to escape from a window. If you have to break the window, cover any jagged glass with towels or thick bedding and throw some more bedding out of the window to break your fall. Do not jump out of the window - lower yourself to arms length and drop to the ground.

If you have any children, or elderly or disabled people with you, plan the order in which you will escape so you can help them down.

Don't Go Back Into Your Home - Stay outside and wait for the fire service to arrive. Do not go back for anything.

Tim_Deegan

Make Your Plan - Get Out Alive

Try and imagine for a moment what it would be like to wake in the middle of the night and you find a fire has taken hold of your home. The house is in complete darkness. Thick black smoke has filled your landing. You can’t breathe properly. You can’t find your way out, and you can’t find your way to the kids’ bedroom.

If there is a fire in your home, it will be much easier for you to escape if you have already thought about the best way to get out.
Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service urges all householders to work out an escape route, making sure that it is always kept clear of obstructions such as toys, or anything else that could block the way out in an emergency.

So, if a fire were to start in your home.... what should you do?

• You should raise the alarm immediately
• Get out and get others out too, if you can. But don’t risk your own life!
• Get the Fire Brigade out. Go to the nearest telephone outside your house, dial 999 (remember the nearest telephone might be a neighbour’s, or it could be a phone box)
• Stay out. Do not go back inside for anything. Your life is much more precious than your belongings

Firefighters advise that smoke detectors should be fitted and installed correctly in every home. These should give occupants sufficient warning to rouse people to possible danger and enable an escape from fire.

If you do become trapped, you should close the door between you and the fire, seal the door as much as possible with sheets, clothing or towels and attempt to raise the alarm.

Develop a safety routine

Try getting the household to develop a routine last thing at night. It could be combined with a security check; i.e. ensuring that all doors are locked and that windows are shut.

The routine should also involve shutting all internal doors downstairs - such as to the sitting room - putting fire guards in place, switching off all electrical appliances that do not need to be left on and ensuring that ashtrays are emptied into a metal container.

And lastly, before going to bed, take a moment to think.... is our planned escape route clear?

Make sure everybody understands what to do

• Make sure everyone knows where you keep keys. Decide where the keys to doors and windows should be kept, and always keep them there. Everyone in your household should know their location.
• Make sure everyone knows what to do. Go through all the points about what to do in a fire. Everyone should know the do's and don'ts.
• Put your address by the phone so children can read it out to the emergency services.
• Put a reminder of what to do in a fire somewhere prominent, like on the door of the fridge.
• Tell everyone about any fire equipment you have. If you have fire extinguishers or fire blankets, make sure all adults know where they are, and how to use them safely.
• Extinguishers and blankets should only be used on a small, easily containable fire. The priority is always to keep people safe. Things can be replaced...people can't!
• Practise your plan. Take a few minutes to "walk through" the plan with everyone in the household. Regularly remind everyone of what to do and what not to do in a fire.

A full fire safety plan covers more than just what to do if the worst happens. It covers prevention and detection too.

telfordwhite

sooz wrote: »

there should also be door closers on all the doors (if converted pre-april when they removed this reg, I think) and there should be a wired in smoke alarm on each floor.

Is this true? Can anyone confirm.

The house we are renting (just moved in) has just had loft conversion done and the builder came round yesterday and put ugly self closers on all the doors which is a right pain in the !!! and is really squeaky.

The owner hasn't seen them yet and I'm sure she'll hate them, Oh please may we be able to take them off...:j