Though it’s horrible to think that it might happen, fires do happen, and the important thing to do when your home fire alarm goes off is to do what you can to keep you and your family safe. It’s important to know before your home fire alarm starts to go off what to do in order to ensure you and your family get out and no one gets hurt. With a little planning with your family, you’ll be prepared and safe when your home fire alarm goes off.
Avoid Smoke
When your home fire alarm goes off, chances are you’ll see the smoke from the fire before you see the fire. Smoke inhalation is a danger in such a situation, and you’ll want to minimize the damage to you and your family from it. Because of the heat, any smoke will tend to rise towards the ceiling. Therefore, it’s important for your family to keep low to the ground while escaping the house when your home fire alarm goes off, crawling on hands and knees until they get through their escape route. Also, a cloth over the nose and mouth, particularly if it’s wet, can act as a filter to stop family members from breathing in smoke.
Getting Out
If the home fire alarm is going off and you can’t see if there’s a fire, there are a few things you can do to check if a fire is going on outside your bedroom. Place a hand on the door and feel to see if there’s any heat on the other side. If there isn’t, very lightly touch the knob to test it. If you feel any heat on either the door or knob, don’t open the door. If there’s no heat, you can open the door, but be ready to close it if you feel a burst of heat or smoke from the other side. If there’s no heat or smoke, then your family members can proceed out of the house.
Plan Beforehand
Of course, any planning for getting out of the house in the event that your home fire alarm does go off should be done beforehand. Just as in school and in the office, a practice run will ensure that your family knows just what to do if a fire does happen. Discuss with your family how to escape the house, plan escape routes, and even run drills to ensure that when a fire happens, they’ll be able to react quickly and correctly. With a little planning and knowledge, you and your family will stay safe when your home fire alarm goes off.
