Fire survival

The first few minutes of a house fire are the most integral to survival. It can take less than 30 seconds for a minor fire to turn into a major one. If possible, put out the fire immediately with a fire blanket or extinguisher. If this is not possible, the primary goal should be escape.

Remain on or near the floor. Heat and toxic gases produced by fires rise, so stay as low as possible. Smoke and gases kill over 50% of people caught in structure fires; more than the heat from the fire itself, so be wary. If possible, cover your nose and mouth with a wet cloth or towel to block out smoke and particles. Crawl to get around. Get out of the building as soon as possible and do not stop to get personal belongings, pets, or for any other reason. On your way out, warn others and tell them to evacuate.

If you need to open a door, feel the knob first with the back of your hand. If it feels hot, do not open it. If it feels cool, open slowly and with caution. If smoke, heat, or flames rush in, immediately shut it.

If you, an animal, or anyone else is trapped inside the building, immediately notify any firefighters present. If there are no firefighters present, contact emergency services promptly.

If your clothes catch on fire, stop, drop, and roll. Stop what you're doing and do not run, drop to the ground, cover your face with your hands, and roll around on the ground over and over, smothering the flames until they are extinguished.

If you are trapped in a room, close the door, seal the cracks with a wet towel, tape, or another suitable object, cover vents, and shut windows. This will help keep flames and smoke out. Then, call emergency services for help or notify emergency personnel already at the fire.

Close doors and windows (but don't lock them) in any situation if there is time. This will limit the speed at which the fire and smoke can spread between rooms. If you need fresh air, open the windows just a crack.

As a last resort, there is the option of jumping out of a window, off a balcony, or off a rooftop for survival. So not attempt a jump to the ground from higher than four meters (~13.1 ft) in the air unless there is something to break your fall. Consider throwing a mattress to the ground if there is one available to break your fall. Jump onto a safety net if there is one available. If there are firefighters or other emergency respondents present, draw their attention and ask for help. They may construct a safety net, put up a ladder, or send someone else to help you. Keep in mind that jumping into trees and heavy forestry carries the risk of being impaled on a branch. Get as close as you can to the ground before jumping in order to decrease risk of injury or death. Only jump as a last resort when all other options are exhausted and death or significant injury is probable if you remain in the building. If you need to break a window, throw a heavy, solid object, such as a fire extinguisher, hammer, chair, or rock at it to smash it. Be careful not to cut yourself on the glass shards. Do not throw yourself at the window in an attempt to break it. This can cause severe injury and lead to deep cuts and potentially life-threatening bleeding.

Once outside, follow the instructions of emergency respondents at the scene, or if none are present, evacuate to your building's assembly point and encourage others to do so as well. If one does not exist, simply get as far away from the building as possible. Once out, do not go back inside for any reason.

See also

• Fire
• Burn
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Fire prevention
• Fire safety
• Structure fire
• Firefighting
• Smoke inhalation