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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To beg you all to have a fire evacuation plan

136 replies

WelshMaenad · 31/08/2012 20:51

my friend's house has gone up in flames this evening. Thankfully she and her dd were not home when it happened, but they have list everything. Her neighbours said that it went from a wisp of smoke to a blazing inferno within minutes, had they been home, maybe sleeping, they would have been in a lot of trouble.

I am going out to buy fire escape ladders tomorrow. Please please please review your escape options in your home. Seeing her house in flames has literally petrified me, it was horrific and so frightening.

OP posts:
colleysmill · 31/08/2012 22:18

It was awful. The smoke damage was unbelievable :(

But they are back home now :)

StetsonsAreCool · 31/08/2012 22:19

You can get heat alarms for kitchens - they only go off if the temperature gets to a certain point i.e. if there are flames. Take a bit longer to go off, but at least there's something in the kitchen.

I read somewhere that most fires that cause deaths start in the living room. Presumably because most of the ones that start in kitchens are the result of cooking or similar, so you're more likely to be awake to spot it. But the ones that start in living rooms start when people are sleeping, so you don't get any warning until the alarms in your hallway go off, by which point the fire has taken hold and there's too much smoke.

We don't have an escape plan Blush but keys are always in the same spot and all exit routes are the tidiest part of the house clear.

I'm getting a fire blanket for the kitchen next, then speaking to our landlord about upgrading the smoke alarms to better ones.

Signet2012 · 31/08/2012 22:20

I have been considering this especially now I'm due to have a baby any day. I don't actually think we could get out of any of our upstairs windows. We would need to break them. Would that be easy to do ? Also what would be the safest way to get a small baby out ? Assuming we can't get downstairs. I also have a dog who is too big to lift and would turn into a ball of teeth so he would probably die Sad

StetsonsAreCool · 31/08/2012 22:20

Also, sorry about your friend's house OP. Very glad they were out of harm's way at the time.

colleysmill · 31/08/2012 22:22

I faithys heat sensor in the kitchen melted off the ceiling :( the smoke alarm in the hallway woke them up.

Fire bridage told them microwaves are the most common cause of kitchen fires as everyone tends to leave them on for the timer.

PissyDust · 31/08/2012 22:28

Our neighbours garage (attached to their house) caught fire this bank holiday Monday, so scary how quick it took hold and ok 3 fire engines worth of hoses and water to put it out.

I'm ex emergency service and my plan is what Skate said, all in one room with door shut and dial 999.

BananaramaLlama · 31/08/2012 22:30

The fire brigade advice I read was to leave via usual exits and if they were blocked to get to a window, shout out of it and phone 999. Must get DDs to practice escape route and tell them about 'get out, stay out, get the fire brigade out'... though I think it will freak them out.

Noqontrol · 31/08/2012 22:33

What's wrong with having an escape ladder? Not got one, just wondering.

TiggyD · 31/08/2012 22:39

One thing you need to drill into children: You cannot hide from fire! A lot of children I talk to say they would hide if there was a fire at their house.

MoreBeta · 31/08/2012 22:39

We do have a fire escape plan.

Every night we know exactly where keys for doors and windows are in our bedroom. Mobile phones are always with us. Kids and us all have torches under beds. Fire detectors in all corridors.

We have two escape routes out of the house plus a balcony. Final resort is bedroom with door shut and wet towels from ensuite. DSs know what to do in a fire.

Viperidae · 31/08/2012 22:56

Your plan sounds just like ours MoreBeta! It was planned by DD at school years ago.

We also have smoke detectors wired into the burglar alarm so the internal sirens will sound. Some friends of ours had a fire when all in bed. The DH lay in bed half asleep thinking there was a car alarm going outside, only getting up a few minutes later when his throat was tickling so he needed a drink. They only just got out. It terrified me that the beeping might not be enough to wake us in time so we had them wired up to the alarm.

mummmsy · 31/08/2012 23:06

twas an old N.ireland safety advert slogan thing 'geat out, staaay out, geat the fi-re brig-aaade out'

do you think fire ladder is ok given our small house? it's like a two-up, two down?

Only thing i'd be worried about would be hanging it out the window and flames licking round the window below that it would be hanging over...

Pisces · 31/08/2012 23:07

My house caught fire and we were out of it for over 6 months due to the damage. The fire started in the LOFT. The previous owners had put spotlights in the bathroom and then over a period of time had the loft boarded. A wire from one of the spot lights was trapped under the boards and apparently was getting continually hot and contracting and as the loft in quite a dry hot place, when the fire started, it took only minutes to really get going. It took 11 years before the wires wore out and the fire started and we were never aware that a wire was trapped.

The fire brigade advised us and all our neighbours to have fire alarms fitted that radio linked to one another. They said to definitely put one in the loft!!!

To be honest, neither us or any of our neighbours ever thought we would need an alarm in the loft but my family and I are living proof that one is definitely needed. We were lucky to get out alive and if the ceilings had given way whilst we were all in bed then we would not be here now.

BustersOfDoom · 31/08/2012 23:16

YANBU. We have an escape plan and 2 smoke alarms. Out of DS's window onto the garage roof, which is a separate building but reachable. We're having new windows fitted and his is the escape one and can fit a mattress through for a safe landing.

About 20 years ago our oven caught fire and exploded shattering the glass door whilst I was making DS's breakfast. It was a fault apparently. I had 6 firemen in my dining room and DS and I had to sit in the fire engine until they made it safe and tried to clear the toxic smoke/fumes from the house. It stunk of burning plastic for weeks and the entire kitchen had to be replaced due to heat/smoke damage. They were lovely Grin I was a nervous wreck tho and took DS to school with no pants on when it was PE. He's just about forgiven me.

But seriously, it was terrifying and happened so quickly. If you haven't got them already get smoke alarms and an escape plan. Fire spreads so quickly. I was out of my depth in minutes and panic set in. Get smoke alarms and an exit plan all of you!

happyscouse · 31/08/2012 23:23

we've been burgled this week, and one of the new security measures we have taken is to buy those plug in timers to switch lamps on, now reading this thread i dont want to leave them plugged in...gah what to do !

justinhawkinsnavalfluff · 31/08/2012 23:32

Thanks ladies just went and put keys in draws by all the windows

BustersOfDoom · 31/08/2012 23:45

And to break double glazed windows you need to hit them as hard as you can as close as you can get to a corner. A fire safety officer told me that. Thankfully I've never had to test it.

And *happyscouse we use those timers every day and have done for years. No problems so far.

wherearemyGOLDsocks · 01/09/2012 00:56

When my friend was a little girl, at Christmas time, she woke up in the night for no reason and decided to go downstairs, just as she passed the lounge the Christmas tree caught fire from the lights that had been left on. Her family didn't have a smoke alarm, if she'd not woke up it would not have been a very different ending.

I have been woken by the fire alarm, and immediately smelt smoke, very scary. Luckily everyone got out safely, it turned out the fire was actually on a flat roof outside the building but enough smoke came in through an open window to set off the smoke detector.

EcoLady · 01/09/2012 01:13

We have a plan. DD's bedroom window opens onto a small area of flat roof above the extension - if we can't get down the stairs then we go out of her window. Keys to windows and doors are all kept in the same place all the time. Smoke alarms downstairs and upstairs, plus doors all shut at night.

I can recommend getting your Guiding/Scouting leaders to arrange a visit from the local fire brigade. My Brownies had a visit to get their Fire Safety badge and it was a brilliant evening. Cost nothing, great fun, they all got to wear a fire fighter's helmet and try to blue lights on the engine ... then they all went home and nagged their parents about smoke alarms and plans. Smile

sashh · 01/09/2012 01:27

Lilicat1013

There are things you can do, if a ladder doesn't reach the floor you can get to the end, and dangle off so only your hands are on the last rung, then you can drop. OK you may break a leg or two, but you will be alive.

I second amillionyears

Also when you check in make sure staff are aware of any mobility needs, difficulty you may have evacuating because you have children or cannot walkl down stairs.

It suprising the attitude staff have when I mention on check in that in the event of an alarm I will not be able to self evacuate.

The grotty (usually with grumpy staff) at travelodges just take out the appropriate form, fill it in for staff change over and then tell me where the safe waiting places are. One thing they do have right is that their staff are obviously trained in fire safety.

brighthair · 01/09/2012 01:43

Luckily am ground floor apartment. Smoke alarms wired into mains with back up battery. It's a new build with fire doors. Any fire and I would just go out my bedroom window.
And I know I fit because I leapt out of it once when I thought I was being burgled Blush

ShadowsCollideWithPeople · 01/09/2012 02:03

I am seriously fire-phobic. Everywhere I have lived, my first thought has always been 'how do we get out in a fire?'. When I was little, I had recurring nightmares about fires, being trapped in a house fire. So, I have implemented strict rules. In my house, my parent's house, my Grandparent's house and DP's parent's house.

My phobia does not override my will to help, though. A few years back, I was in a friend's house for drinks, we went out for a smoke (down her garden, which was huge), and came back inside to find the sitting room engulfed in flames. One friend ran out the front door, the other stood screaming for her husband to wake up. I had the presence of mind to run to the kitchen and wet lots of towels to fling on the flames. I did this again and again, until the fire brigade arrived.

I got over my fire 'fear' that night. Kind of. Am still paranoid about checking fire alarms everywhere I stay. Maybe I'm not over it as well as I think I am.

Wearsuncream · 01/09/2012 04:25

I've been in a fire. Didnt smell it at all until we opened the slightly ajar bedroom door . Then all the smoke rushed in and it was like being under water - you cannot breathe - at all. Suddenly putting clothes on was irrelevant as I needed oxygen more . It was awful.

cozietoesie · 01/09/2012 06:11

One additional thing - over and above the good advice earlier in the thread. Get yourselves a fire safe (fairly cheap on the internet) to keep all your documents in all the time eg insurance policies, birth and marriage certificates, photos and flash drives with information etc etc. (You could also keep stuff online in one form or another.) Dealing with the aftermath of a fire is a lot easier if you have all that to hand.

VivaLeBeaver · 01/09/2012 06:40

Also don't set dishwashers, etc to come on over night.

A friend did this and was woken at 4am by the smoke alarm. The dishwasher caught fire, they got out but the house was wrecked and their pets died.

My dishwasher also burst into flames once. Luckily in the evening while I was in the dining room so I managed to put it out quickly.