Asia Pacific Community Promotion Association: How to prevent and rescue residential fires

Asia Pacific Community Promotion Association: How to prevent and rescue residential fires (Contributed by Asia Pacific Community Promotion Association) The most common causes of residential fires are cooking accidents, smoke and discomfort...

(Contributed by Asia Pacific Community Promotion Association) The most common causes of residential fires are cooking accidents, smoke and improper use of wood-burning stoves or heaters. Listed below are some steps you can take to avoid a home fire or to protect your personal safety if one occurs. Preparing for Fire  Install smoke detectors in or near all bedrooms, including every floor of the home and in the basement. Check smoke detectors regularly and replace batteries twice a year.

Prepare fire extinguishers of type A-B-C. Teach family members how to use it.  Know all exits to the house, including windows. If you live in an apartment, count how many doors there are between your apartment and the two closest exits.  Know at least two exits from each room so that fireworks do not block the main exit.  Designate an outdoor meeting place.  Develop an evacuation plan and practice it with your family. This will help ensure that you can evacuate quickly without any mistakes.  Place folding or chain ladders in upstairs bedrooms.  Safely use alternative heat sources, such as wood-burning stoves or space heaters:  Never use a gas oven, gas stove, barbecue or most portable gas tank heaters indoors.  Prepare fire-fighting materials: fire extinguishing powder, fire extinguisher, thick tarpaulin or blanket and water.  Always read the manufacturer's instructions when using alternative heat sources.

Don’t smoke in the bedroom, on the couch, or anywhere you might sleep.

Close the bedroom door when you sleep.

Make sure your house number is clearly visible from the street so fire trucks can find your home.

Prepare fire-fighting materials: fire extinguishing powder, fire extinguisher, thick tarpaulin or blanket and water. If a fire breaks out

If a fire breaks out, evacuate. Do not return indoors. Make a 9-1-1 call from your neighbor's house.

Never use water to extinguish an electrical fire.

Use soda ash or salt to extinguish burning oil fires in the kitchen. If the fire breaks out in a pot, cover it with a lid.

If you are surrounded by smoke, crawl on the ground; take shallow breaths through your nose and use your blouse, shirt, or jacket as a filter.

If you must walk through the flames, hold your breath, move quickly, wrap your head and hair, lower your head, and close your eyes as much as possible. ?If clothing catches fire, "stop, lie down, and roll" until the fire goes out.

If you are in a room from which you cannot escape, do not open the door, lie on the floor, and hang a white or light-colored sheet outside the window. Verify the whereabouts of all family members. If anyone is lost, report it to the fire brigade.

Install smoke detectors in or near all sleeping areas and on every level of your home, including the basement. Check smoke detectors on a regular basis and replace the batteries twice yearly.

Have A-B-C type fire extinguishers. Teach family members how to use them.

Know the location of all exits including windows. If you live in an apartment, count the number of doorways between your apartment and the two nearest exits.

Know two ways out of every room in case smoke or flames block your primary exit.

Choose a meeting place outside the home.

Have an escape plan and practice it with your family. This will help ensure you can get out quickly when there is no time for mistakes.

Keep folding or chain style ladders stored in each upstairs bedroom.

Use alternative heat sources, such as woodstoves or space heaters, safely: Never use gas ovens, gas ranges, barbecues, or most portable or propane heaters for indoor heating.

Have fire-fighting materials available: dry powder, fire extinguisher, heavy tarp or blanket, and water.

Before using an alternative heat source, read the manufacturer’s instructions.

Do not smoke in the bedroom, on the couch or anywhere you might fall asleep while smoking.

Sleep with your bedroom door closed.

Make sure your house number is clearly visible from the street and that fire trucks can reach your home.

Have fire-fighting materials available: dry powder, fire extinguisher, heavy tarp or blanket, and water.

If there is a fire?evacuate. Do not go back inside. Call 9-1-1 from a neighbor’s house.

Never use water on an electrical fire.

Smother oil and grease fires in the kitchen with baking soda or salt, or put a lid over the flame if it is burning in a pan.

If caught in smoke?drop to your hands and knees and crawl; breathe shallowly through your nose and use your blouse, shirt or jacket as a filter.

If you must move through flames?hold your breath, move quickly, cover your head and hair, keep your head down and close your eyes as much as possible.

If your clothes catch fire, top, drop and roll?until the fire is out.

If you are in a room and cannot escape, leave the door closed, stay low to the floor and hang a white or light-colored sheet outside the window.

Be sure all family members are accounted for. If someone is missing, let the fire department know.