What to do During a Fire
If your clothes catch on fire, you should:
- Stop, drop, and roll - until the fire is extinguished. Running only makes the fire burn faster.
To escape a fire, you should:
- Check closed doors for heat before you open them. If you are
escaping through a closed door, use the back of your hand to feel the
top of the door, the doorknob, and the crack between the door and door
frame before you open it. Never use the palm of your hand or fingers to
test for heat - burning those areas could impair your ability to escape
a fire (i.e., ladders and crawling).
| Hot Door |
Cool Door |
| Do not open. Escape through a window. If you cannot
escape, hang a white or light-colored sheet outside the window,
alerting fire fighters to your presence. |
Open slowly and ensure fire and/or smoke is not
blocking your escape route. If your escape route is blocked, shut the
door immediately and use an alternate escape route, such as a window.
If clear, leave immediately through the door and close it behind you.
Be prepared to crawl. Smoke and heat rise. The air is clearer and
cooler near the floor. |
- Crawl low under any smoke to your exit - heavy smoke and poisonous gases collect first along the ceiling.
- Close doors behind you as you escape to delay the spread of the fire.
- Stay out once you are safely out. Do not reenter. Call 9-1-1.
SOURCE:FEMA
