Should I not try to prevent a fire?

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I have always been scared of dying in a fire. It's my main fear and to mitigate this fear and help me feel safe (also because its something I was told to do by the fireman who visited our school) I keep a towel and bottles of water in the bedrooms so if a fire does break out, I can soak the towel and put it against the door to stop the smoke coming in.

fire extinguishers wouldn't be able to stop smoke coming into the bedrooms so that's not an option.

DH has said he's sick of seeing bottles of water everywhere, it's 2 under our bed hardly loads. I haven't got any in the children's room for obvious reasons but I feel bad and might stick some on top of the wardrobe just incase. They mostly sleep in my room anyway though so it's not a big deal.

I have said I'm not getting rid of them because it's hardly an invasion of space sat under the bed, and it could save our lives if a fire broke out.

Aibu to keep water under the bed?

Yabu - you don't need water and towels
yanbu - better safe than sorry

Really sorry you have this anxiety to contend with. I don’t see any harm in having the bottles there. It would maybe help to get a fire extinguisher and a fire alarm system in the house. You could get some professional help when you are ready. A lot of judgey comments here from people who don’t get it. I think you might need to get your husband to understand too. It’s horrible to have a phobia. Hugs

Not RTFT.
Just wanted to let you know I have exactly the same OP. 2 bottles of water out of sight in the bedroom. It doesn’t affect my daily life, it’s not constantly on my mind, but I think having something so simple and possibly life saving isn’t a stupid idea.

I absolutely did this after witnessing Grenfel, so I am aware that tragedy triggered me to want to do it.

Ds was traumatised after watching the fire safety film at school, I managed to calm him down by demonstrating that our smoke alarms were so sensitive that burning a slice of toast in the kitchen set off the smoke alarm that was at the top of the stairs & making him understand that we would have plenty of time to get out of the house. Other than insisting that the hamster lived in his bedroom so that if there was a fire he could grab him & take himself & the hamster to safety he calmed down.

I work in a high risk health and safety area the fire training we get is extensive. I've posted a link that basically covers it all.

One thing - always practice your fire training with your eyes shut. Even at home, if you were to go to your kids bedroom, practice doing that with your eyes shut! Really important.

If travelling - never book a hotel room above the 4th floor.

If you can't leave and you're trapped by fire and smoke and you have to wait rescue then, potentially one of the safest places to be is a bathroom - if it has a window a fireman can get you from.

Otherwise, while the stuff in the link is aimed at hotels you can apply some at home and also

• write sos in lipstick on window
• always call the fire service yourself if at a hotel
• curtains in hotels are generally (not always) fire retardant so you can drap these around you or over furniture

We've been advised if we really want to be prepared for fire to buy firemasks. This was only 'advisory' though- lol.

This website sums it all up nicely! I don't work for them! www.torchstoneglobal.com/how-to-protect-yourself-from-fire-while-traveling/

Anyway- you're fine. Water under the bed is nothing! DH 100% unreasonable.

If you buy a fire extinguisher make sure you know how to use it! So many ppl get these things but when it comes to it they don't know how to open and use them!

@Nat6999 that's so sweet! It's like the Ukraine now. News reporter was saying the number of pets is really high, big dogs to little hamster. Breaks my heart but also shows the best of humanity. Your son sounds very special to be thinking like that bless him xx

Dottdoo He was only 7 then, he is 18 now, still a very thoughtful & caring young man.

@GreenFingersWouldBeHandy

So you’re paranoid about a house fire but you don’t actually have any fire extinguishers?

You cannot throw water on an electrical fire. Are you being this daft on purpose?

And at least have a smoke alarm upstairs as well as downstairs. No wonder your DH is getting fed up with your irrational behaviour.

Try reading the OP, the water isn't to put the fire out, so don't think you need to call her daft!

I really don’t see the problem with you keeping a couple of bottles of water under your bed. If it bothers your husband so much maybe he’s the one that needs therapy not you.

Aren't you going to want to open her door to get to your children? I have smoke detectors wired in upstairs and downstairs and a planned escape route.

I get it but i hope you're not showing your kids anxiety and passing it onto them

People are attacking the op because they have problems with this issue imo. Deep down we all fear fire, for good reason, we just don't think about it. Most of us have smoke alarms and they are our talisman.

I see nothing wrong with the bottles of water, it harms no one. Whether it is really helpful is another matter.

I turn all plugs, except the fridge, every night. Maybe I need CBT too!

I do agree the op should get up to date fire advice and have a proper plan. An upstairs smoke alarm is essential.

You do know this won't actually prevent a fire don't you? It'll just delay smoke entering your room, giving you time. From the title of your thread it read like you thought this would prevent it?

I think it is probably your anxiety that is stressing out your husband, not the two bottles of water.

But for someone who is so afraid of a fire, you've hardly anything actually useful.

I agree that you should have the fire brigade round and fit smoke detectors. Gets extinguishers. Don't faff about with bottles of water everywhere.

@HirplesWithHaggis

I think a number of people are imagining the water is to tackle the fire, whereas I understand it to be used to soak the towel and block the bottom of the door to prevent smoke coming in.

then what? You planning to smell the smoke /see flames, grab children (panicking and probably can’t see due to the smoke) barricade yourself in the bedroom with a wet towel and wait it out?

The fumes would probably get you first but if a bottle of water makes you feel better, go for it.

I find it bonkers personally. If there’s a fire you get out, you don’t faff about with bottles of water and towels.

I don't see the harm and it's not like they are on full display.

I requested a fire blanket for Christmas from my parents to keep in the kitchen and they didn't think anything of it - just bought it for me.

As others have said, my guess is that it's the phobia and anxiety that's upsetting your husband OP, not the bottles themselves.

If you want some extra reassurance beyond fire extinguishers, we live in a third floor flat and have a fire escape ladder that goes out of the window (theoretically - never actually practiced and I do wonder if in a real situation we'd just panic and have to jump).

Having some bottles of water around is good from a prepping point of view - we've had our water cut off accidentally before so we always have a couple of big bottles around.

I wonder if you could also buy a heavy decorative draft excluder to quickly wedge up against the doors, instead of the "opening bottles of water and grabbing a towel" idea?

It does sound as if your letting your anxiety rule a bit here. I get it I really do but it’s not healthy.

Sounds good. We have a fire extinguisher in the hall and a fire blanket.

Better to be safe than dead.

Loving all the cool kids who suggest you need therapy for being sensible, you're all so chilled, you're amazing

I'd sort out the fire alarm situation. If your partner things you're over the top for that them you know it's him not you with the issue.

OP, why don’t you request a Home Fire Safety Visit from you local Fire Service? I know you said you’d had one in your old flat but if you’re in a house now your escape plan will look very different, and they can help you formulate or refine that. Also they will know the general response times in your area, also fire safety advice changes and moves on, so you may find they have more up to date advice for you and be in your property so be able to give specific prevention as well as protection advise to you.

Quick question, why do i need therapy for putting water and a towel in my room incase of a fire? would you feel the same if it was a fire extinguisher or a smoke alarm? what is the difference?

Because its demonstrating slightly illogical, possibly paranoid thinking.

Its illogical because you don't have mains linked smoke alarms with battery back up, a fire action plan, knowledge of any PAT tests on appliances, checking labels for fire retardent materials, and it would be a lot easier to have a fire blanket instead of bottles of water on top of wardrobes that you almost certainly wouldn't be able to reach in the panic of a fire and wouldn't provide sufficient water to soak a towel.

I'm also intrigued about where you lived previously not having a bedroom window? Now that is a genuine fire risk but you don't live there any more and most fire brigades consider an opening window that an adult can fit through to be an adequate safety option.

Well if you’ve got no smoke alarm upstairs your bottles of water are actually useless.

I agree it’s less the bottles of water themselves and more the anxiety around it all.

thank you so much dotdoo
i will keep a toothpaste just incase, I suppose that would work the same as lipstick
and eyes shut is a good idea too.

but I can't believe so many people are saying I'm anxious. I spent almost a decade 10 floors up. in that time grenfel Tower happened and also a block up the road caught fire and 2 families had to move. as well as a small electrical fire started in my kitchen (very small, it burnt a teatowel and there were no actual flames) from a faulty plug socket.

Several of my neighbours had gas heater things even though you aren't allowed them in aassove block of flats but they are cheap to run so lots did anyway.

Fires do happen. I am very aware. DH things as we live in a house now, not a flat, the bottles and towel is unnecessary BUT I think there is no harm, you never know what happens and its a small way to comfort myself.
lots of people wouldn't want their families or children to be burnt alive and this was a tip from a fire man remember. Not just rogue me, running around fighting flames with 4 litres of stale water.