SAFE BEHAVIOR DURING FIRE

A fire is an uncontrolled combustion. It moves fast. A fire can start, spread, and ignite nearby flammable objects in under 30 seconds. It can then get out of control and pose a threat to human life in a matter of minutes. The whole house can be consumed by fire in ten to fifteen minutes.

Rules of safe behavior during fire

• Run to the emergency exit if you see smoke or a fire outside the door or if you feel the heat coming through it.
• If you must evacuate through smoke, crawl towards the exit under the smoke. Breathing clean air to the maximum extent possible requires you to crawl underground and raise your head to a height of 0.5 meters. Next, shut the door by yourself. Do not lock.
• Never attempt to hide from the fire (in a closet or under a bed), as you will only be protecting yourself from the firefighters, not the fire itself. They'll have a harder time locating you.
• Leave your belongings and save yourself.
• Never use an elevator, no matter what. Take the stairs.
• If you have already exited the burning building, head quickly to the designated spot.
• If you are outside, stay there. Do not return to the burning building.
• If smoke, flame, or heat has blocked all exits and you cannot safely leave the room, close the door tightly and stay in the room. Plug the cracks in the door, and the ventilation holes with wet rags so that as little smoke as possible enters the room. If you have the opportunity, sprinkle the door with water periodically. Open the windows to let in air, and hang a bright cloth or clothing in the window - this will signal to the firefighters that you need help. If there is a phone in the room, call the fire brigade, and let them know where you are. For help, wait at the window to be noticed.
• If your clothes catch fire, follow the rule: “Stop, drop, and roll.” Whatever you do, stop, drop to the ground, cover your face, and roll until the fire is out. These three steps should be done automatically, without any thought.