Fire accidents are all destructive and may worsen whenever there aren’t any initial actions that help lessen the weight of the critical situation. Some fire accidents may be taken care of by amateurs and some are highly dangerous enough that loads of fire trucks full of firemen are needed to complete the search and rescue operation. Whatever the fire scenario is, you must be able to know how to extinguish fire beforehand and apply basic rescue and escape techniques to save yourself and the others in the house or building.
Whenever a fire occurs in your home or in a building, the first thing that must come into your mind is to evacuate and fast. Evaluate whether the situation can be handled at first before the fire service arrives. Some accidents may be handled by common fire extinguishing techniques however you must ensure a safe exit first. Look out for doors, windows and fire exits that have an open and safe way. Never pack too much stuff in times of fires. Take whatever is most important e.g. wallet, a few clothes, important documents etc. and go to the nearest safe and open space that is far enough from the affected area.
When the fire is caused by electrical faults of short circuits, never ever touch the electrocuted wires. Do not use water or liquid fire extinguishers immediately as well. Remember that you are dealing with two very dangerous things- fire and electricity. Once the short circuit explodes and starts a fire, turn off your main power first. This will lessen the initial fire and stop the electric shock within the premises. Never touch anything that acts as a conductor e.g. metals and wires that are attached to the walls. Electricity travels very fast. Next, use a safety blanket to kill the fire so as not to damage any properties further. Pouring water isn’t such a great idea especially when the fire has gotten already big. The best thing to use when there’s a manageable electric fire is a powder fire extinguisher.
For fire accidents that has been caused by liquid such as gasoline, petrol or LPGs, determine the level of the disaster first before taking any action. Bear in mind that you have to think and act as fast as you can in times like these. Liquid fires have to directions. It’s either the fire explodes or it spreads out rapidly. Whenever there’s an explosion, you cannot do anything except save your own life and wait for the fire service to take over. On the other hand, when liquid spreads fire, never throw water on it as water doesn’t mix well with oil. It will only boil the water and make tiny explosions and burst outs. Still, a safety blanket and a non-water based fire extinguishers are still the best ways to diminish the destruction.
Another kind of material that can cause fires is organic compounds such as wood, dried leaves and papers. Initially, fires will start out small and spread out fast once there are other organic materials in the surroundings. Water is the best fire extinguisher on fires like this. Spray water abundantly on the fire that’s about to get huge and keep doing it so as not to help it spread anymore.
For precautionary measures, always keep fire safety devices in every house and building. Ensure that there’s a near water reservoir and that there’s always a safe fire exit and evacuation centres on the block.
