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5 things to do when in a house fire

No one wants to think about their house catching fire. After all, if you’re lucky enough to escape you’ll still be losing all the material things you hold dear, many of which cannot be replaced.

But, the most important thing is that you, and your family, do escape. That’s why you need a plan to prevent a fire and to know what to do if you do have a fire.

The Prevention

There are several simple measures you can take to reduce the risk of a fire. The most obvious is having your electrics serviced regularly and having a smoke alarm fitted. You also need to draw up an escape plan that everyone knows, and you should consider protecting your house.

Fire shutters are an excellent idea if you’re in a grass or bush fire area, they can help to protect your home from a fire ravaging it.

Part of your planning should include knowing what to do in a house fire:

  1. Fire Extinguisher

The first thing you should do when hearing the fire alarm is to check the fire. You’ll need to proceed with caution as it could be a small fire or have already taken hold. 

If the fire is small grab the correct fire extinguisher and spray the contents at the base of the fire. If this doesn’t work, close all doors around the fire and move onto step two.

  • Alert Everyone & Get Out

You now have an issue that could cause serious harm to your home and potentially be deadly for your family. It’s time to alert everyone and get out. 

You should have a fire escape plan already devised, which means its time to put it into action. Every person gets out the nearest access point, no one should stop for belongings or to collect pets. The only thing that is important is getting out alive. 

  • Call Emergency Services

Now you need to call the emergency services and get them to come to your home. The earlier you do this the better the chance of saving some of your home. It’s worth noting that even if you’ve put a fire out you can call the fire service to ensure it is really safe.

It’s worth noting that most cell phones can call the emergency services even when you don’t have a signal!

  • Alert Neighbors

If you have neighbors within sight of your home you need to alert them. Hopefully, their house will not be affected but it is better they know and are prepared. 

You may even need to use their phone to contact help if you don’t have your cell phone or a good signal.

  • Keep Your Face Covered

If the fire has already taken hold then you and your family need to minimize smoke inhalation, it can be deadly. Cover your faces and, if necessary, stay close to the ground. This will minimize the smoke you inhale. 

It’s also worth noting that if your clothes do catch fie you should drop and roll, it will smother the flames, extinguishing them.

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