The Early Signs of a Fire
You never know when a fire will start – it is a danger to us all even in this day and age.
If you become trapped you might panic, but if you notice a fire early enough then there will be more time to get out of the building and help others to do so too. Here are some early warning signs that a fire has started in your house or building…
Alarms and detectors
The first sign you might have if there is a fire elsewhere in the building is a fire alarm or detector going off. Often, you might even be able to catch a fire before it spreads and put it out, saving both your life and your home but even if you’re too late to stop the fire you will probably have enough time to get out of the building. It’s imperative then that you test your detectors and fire alarms regularly and change batteries for any depleted units.
Smoke
An obvious sign of fire is smoke – as the old adage goes: “there’s no smoke without fire”. If you know the fire is outside your door then get wet towels to block the gaps around the edge and protect yourself from the smoke while you wait for rescue or make an escape. Smoke rises, so if you have to pass through a smoky room then stay as close to the ground as possible.
Smell
Even if you can’t see a fire, you might smell it. Smoke has a distinct taste and smell, but so does whatever is burning, and if you smell it before you see it then you’ll stand a better chance of escaping. Incidentally, your pets may smell a fire before you. Dogs have a much better sense of smell, so pay attention to their behaviour and learn to recognise when they might be warning you of danger.
Loud noises
If you’re a heavy sleeper, then even this may not rouse you, but loud noises such as people shouting, sirens or the collapse of parts of a building are a big sign that danger is present. Check out of your window to see whether the sirens and shouts are from a nearby building, as if you live in a terraced street you may have to evacuate even if the fire is a few doors down.
Hot door and door handle
Most people will have heard of carefully feeling your door to gauge how bad a fire is outside. If you rest your hand and it is hot, then there is a good chance the fire is outside your door. The same goes for a door handle; always use the back of your hand to check that the metal isn’t going to cause you scalding burns – if you burn your hand you might have a hard time climbing and escaping from your building.
Good fire practice and the upkeep of fire alarms, detectors and training is imperative to give you, your family or anyone present in your building a better chance of surviving a blaze. City Fire can give you more information about all the aspects of fire safety so get in touch today if you have any questions or queries.
