Fire safety is one of the most important safety concepts at work and home. In the unfortunate event that a fire emergency does arise it is important for one to know safely escape the situation without further placing themselves or others in harm's way. Evacuation procedures during a fire emergency must be well known and second nature in order to be effective in a highly stressful fire emergency situation.
Critically Thinking
Though it is the body's natural reaction to enter a flight-or-fight state, both physically and psychologically it is important that you do not succumb to panic or shock. In the midst of a fire emergency, you have precious few seconds to make, quite literally, life-saving decisions. It is important that during a fire emergency you begin to think about basic fire safety ideals. Take a careful assessment of the locations and severity of any flames around you, and begin mentally mapping a route to your exit. Be aware of your surroundings at all times, and always know that even though this is an emergency situation, there is no reason to run, push or make otherwise unnecessary rash decisions.
Personal Survivability
Once you have gained your composure and have begun taking a mental assessment of the situation, it is important that you prepare yourself for evacuation from the premises. Simple concepts that have been told to us since childhood are of great importance at this point. Keep low to the ground, hot smoke rises and becomes thick in the upper air of the room. Staying low to the ground will keep you in an atmosphere of much more easily breathable oxygen to protect you from asphyxiation. Covering your face with something such as a cloth or even the sleeve of your shirt will further help prevent smoke inhalation. Begin moving toward your predetermined exit in a steady but unrushed speed. Not only will running to a fire exit limit the time you have to react to dangerous situations within a fire, but will also cause you to exert yourself much more, which, as a corollary, will cause your breathing and heart rate to accelerate and draw more smoke into your lungs.
If You Catch Fire
In the unfortunate event that you or an article of clothing you're wearing catches fire, you have two options. If the article of clothing is easily removable, such as a coat or scarf, quickly remove it and throw it outside any potential route to a fire exit. If it is something else, such as your hair or pants, which are not easily and quickly removed, it is important that you hold true to that age-old adage of stop, drop and roll. Simply lie down and roll back and forth until the fire is extinguished. Though this will increase your time within the fire situation it is nearly impossible for any human being to think critically and objectively while they are on fire.
Helping Others
If there are others caught in the same fire emergency as yourself, you will be forced to make very important decisions. While it is certainly a most noble act to attempt to help someone else in a life-threatening situation, it is not always the most prudent. If you choose to assist others during the situation, you are now responsible for both your lives. You must consider whether you are able to help another person. Can you navigate to safety, can you calm them down and escort them to an exit, and if they are unconscious can you carry them to safety? if you are unable to do any of these things, it may be in your best interests to seek assistance first. It is a much greater tragedy to have two people in a fire accident than one, and you are completely unprepared and unequipped in most cases to save someone else. This, of course, is a personal decision and very much the reason why firefighters are considered great heroes throughout nearly every chronicle of history.
After Evacuation
Once you have successfully exited the area of the fire, it is important that you ensure that the fire department has been notified of the situation. Go to a neighbor's house, local business place or find a nearby payphone and dial 911. It is important that you give the fire professionals as much information as possible including: address of the fire, are there any others still inside the fire,and the source of the fire if known. This information will aid them in rescuing any further victims and suppressing the flames.
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