To beg you all to have a fire evacuation plan

[WelshMaenad]

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.

Yes, please someone tell me how to get a baby out of a second floor window. I can't see how I could climb out of a window one handed! And what about the toddler as well?

This thread has me worried sick (guess who has spotlights in the bathroom?!) though I suppose that's a good thing

This is one of my biggest fears. Like a lot of Italian houses we have fixed bars on the windows.

I'm more afriad of us being trapped behind them in the case of a fire, than of a thief getting in.

I'll get my neighbour to come round with his industrial whizzy cutter thing and get them all off.

I really like the look of those fire ladders, why are they considered dangerous ?

Great thread op.

I work for the fire service and carry out home visits every day.

I would urge everyone to either ring the local, manned, fire station or go online and ask for a free home fire safety check.
As they are tailored to YOU and YOUR house and YOUR family, you will get the best relevant advice.

We went to our local fire station open day yesterday and booked a home visit. They did a demonstration with a chip pan fire and water, very scary stuff!

LittleWhiteWolf - that's true. If you wake up and your windows open easily and properly for egress. (Many people have double glazing and keep ground floor windows locked in winter a la insurance company requirements. They can be smashed/opened but you've got to remember that you might be doing things when you're half asleep, perhaps a little dopey from some fume seepage and might have indifferent hearing or a disability which hampers escape.)

I mention this only because an acquaintance of mine had older parents in a bungalow and they were only awoken by one of their cats caterwauling in panic. (Sadly it didn't survive the fire.) They got out in their PJs but their whole place was gutted.

PS - what most people don't appreciate is the sheer speed at which fires develop. If you've never seen a bad one in the flesh that's understandable but in many cases, you only have a matter of minutes before fumes might start to affect you.

Do I tell the 5yo to help the 2yo out?

What should she do if she can't work the front door?

If she gets out of the house alone, does she just s tand and shout, or is it better to knock on neighbours doors?

Can I tell a 2yo anything of use?

Britta, mine are 4 and 2 and I tell them the same. If they wake up to hear the alarms going off they stay in bed and wait for me or dh to come and get them. Failing that, get down low and head to the front door. Eldest can work the key and then they shout fire, run next door and ring the bell over and over.

If we were trapped upstairs we would head to a front bedroom, close the door, block the gaps while one of us is ringing 999 from one of 3 mobiles which are dotted sound strategically.

I have a hammer and an iron in there that I would use to break the glass, we're only a stones throw from the fire station so we'd wait to be rescued rather than jumping.

That's the theory anyway, have no idea how I would react in practice!

Does anyone know if you can re-use fire escape ladders?
I thought they could only be used once and couldn't be folded away again.

It is a really good idea to practise using them.

Im in a flat with one exit. I am screwed. The windows are safety windows and only open 2 inches. Even if i broke them we have metal guards over the windows (bit like a juliet balcony without the doors) so i would have to climb over them through a broken window that is a foot high. Outside is a 10ft drop to the ground.

Any recommendations on where to buy escape ladders?

I'm so sorry for you friend OP so glad they are ok.

Terribly sorry for your friend too Couthy.

My fuse box went on fire 18 months ago. For no reason at all, it just developed a fault. Unfortunately the fault was the wrong side of the main RCD switch so nothing tripped out.

Luckily I was in the room at the time so was able to call 999 straight away so everything was fine bar a little smoke damage. It terrified the life out of me though.

If I hadn't been in it would have been a very different story. I live in a terraced house, one side was empty and the other were out so it could have spread horrifically before anyone would have noticed.

I now have smoke alarms in every room plus one in the actual meter cupboard where the fuse box is.

I also leave the keys in every door. I've been burgled before so I know the risks but it's one I'm willing to take.

We had the fire brigade round and they checked all our alarms and heat detectors. They also told us to close all internal doors at night, don't dry washing infront of the fire, don't leave appliances on at night, and make a plan for the event of fire. If upstairs, we should all go into one room and call them, they didn't mention ladders. We have child locks on windows, so I think I should double check every week the keys are nearby.

MyDogShitsMoney, that reminds me though, we have antiquated electrics which need some remedial work, and we keep putting it off. Definitely going to book another sparky, as the last chap let us down and didn't turn up.

Well done you for getting a fire safety visit.

My electrics aren't the most modern although I've just had the fuse box replaced and I'm working my way through such things as slightly questionable light switches and so on. I think my biggest difficulties would be closing all doors at night and leaving appliances plugged in. We'll see what the fire safety people say when they come round.

We live in a council property, should they install fire doors?

I Hadn't thought of fire doors.

Fire doors have to be installed if there is a particular number of rooms / occupants in a building. Threr's some regulation about it but I'm not sure regarding numbers.
It tends to be multiple occupancy e.g. bedsits / shared student houses etc. rather than ordinary sized family homes though.

I've just looked at the website for my local fire station. They give a guide about home safety but won't carry out checks unless you are vulnerable (e.g. disabled or elderly). Its a pity there's not enough to go round for everyone although I clearly understand people with disabilities should take priority in this regard. I would feel a lot better having a fire officer look at my house as I have 2 under 3's :(

My local service did give this link which might be helpful

www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeandCommunity/InYourHome/FireSafety/index.htm

You really surprise me tara0202. That's so short sighted given the devastation a fire can cause potentially to lives and property.

Good link though.

When we had our fire safety check a couple of years ago they said to chuck anything out of the window to soften the landing, mattresses, pillows, cushions, duvets etc; put babies / toddlers in a duvet cover to lower to anyone outside that you could.

But do not jump. You are more likely to injure yourself.

Hold on to window ledge etc with fingertips and then drop, you may break a leg / arm etc but will be safe.

For those people who say they keep door keys in a 'safe' place, what does that mean exactly ?
I was caught in a fire in our student halls - the speed and intensity of the smoke was unbelievable. Had the key not been IN the door, I'm not sure I would have been able to locate it to get out - my eyes were burning out and in the panic, I lost all my bearings. I would strongly urge people to keep their keys IN the door - I balance the risks of burglars v fires.

At school when we do evactuation drills we have a target of getting everyone out of the school within 3 minutes max. We also set up diversions and blocked routes during drills to build in emergency strategies, etc. but agan the 3 minute evaucation time is expected.

I would think that such a time target might be useful when thinking of home plans.

We have a difficult one as we are on three floors and the only exits are on the bottom floor. Our bedrooms on the top floor. We do have fire alarms on each floor, each is linked to the other so if one goes off their all do. And they are linked to the electrics too. It is very loud too. We also have a carbon monoxide alarm.

But depending on where a fire started would be an issue as there is just the one way up and down. The kitchen is currently on the middle floor and right next to the stairs down.

DD knows that if she hears the alarm at night she is to come straight to our bedroom asap. We have an ensuite so could do the wet towels thing easier. But it does mean we are at the back of the house.

Although we have a telephone in our room I worry about it not working in a fire. I need to start implementing a system where a mobile phone is plugged in to charge upstairs too.

Sassybeast - DH's keys are kept at the bottom of the stairs. We would have to walk over them to get to either door. Mine are in my bag which is always on the stair banister - again wed have to go by it and could feel it with my hands too.

If I had a full wood door or limited glass I could consider leaving it in the door, but not really with the door we have.

Fire doors must be installed in 3 floor properties too. All our doors bar bathroom ones are fire doors.

cozietoezie I know I was surprised too. From what I read on here I thought I'd be able to get one so went on to their website (Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue) find out how I would do it.