Escaping a Fire

The amount of time a person may have to escape depends on many factors, such as the type of fire, location of the fire, and the closest smoke alarm.

Smoke Alarm Sounds

Do not waste any time saving property. The fire has already developed and the closest smoke alarm has detected the smoke.

Escaping

It may be smoky; getting low may make it easier to breathe and see. Smoke contains toxic gases which can disorient you or, at worst, overcome you.

The time it takes to get out depends on many factors including mobility, helping others, escape route, time of day, smoke, fire, and the location of the fire relative to you.

Exiting the Home

Once you are out of the home, never re-enter the home. Once out - stay out!

The type of fire, slow smoldering or fast flaming, can determine the amount of time you have to escape before being overcome by smoke, heat, and toxic gases. A slow smoldering fire may go undetected for a long period of time before it erupts into dangerous flames and high heat. A fast flaming fire has a very short amount of time before flames and heat become intense. In either type of fire, once out - stay out.

A Fire Escape Plan May Save You & Your Family

Installing working smoke alarms is essential, but they don't save lives unless everyone knows how to get out of the home safely. Make sure everyone knows how to escape when the smoke alarm sounds, whether awake or sleeping at the time. In your plan, have two ways out of each room, a prearranged meeting place outside and, most importantly, Once out - stay out!

Minimizing the amount of time it takes to get out can improve your chances of surviving a hazardous home fire. Having a fire escape plan for you and your family can reduce the amount of time it takes to get out. Practicing the fire escape plan will help everyone understand what to do and where to meet.

Follow these steps when developing a fire escape plan for you and your family:

Practice escaping from every room in the home.
The best plans have two ways to get out of each room. If the primary way is blocked by fire or smoke, you will need a second way out.
Practice the escape plan with your family during the day and at night. Children, older adults, and the hearing-impaired may sleep through a fire alarm or may need assistance in escaping.
Designate a meeting location away from the home, but not necessarily across the street.
For example, meet under a specific tree or at the end of the driveway or front sidewalk to make sure everyone has gotten out safely and no one will be hurt looking for someone who is already safe.
Designate one person to go to a neighbor's home to phone the fire department.
Practice the fire escape plan twice a year.

Fast Moving Flaming Fire

Fast flaming fires don't leave much time for escape. An ionization smoke alarm may be seconds faster than a photoelectric smoke alarm, and those seconds will count in a fast moving flaming fire.

In a flaming fire:

A fire escape plan will help reduce the amount of escape time required for you and your family to get out safely.
These types of fires can develop rapidly; leave the home as fast as possible because the flames, heat, and toxic gases will become too intense in a short time.
If your primary escape path is blocked by smoke, flames, and heat, use your secondary escape method, such as an alternative door or window.
Smoldering fires develop slowly. A photoelectric smoke alarm can be minutes faster than an ionization smoke alarm in responding to a smoldering fire. Regardless of the type of smoke alarm, as soon as the smoke alarm sounds, leave the home as fast as possible.

Smoldering Fire

Smoldering fires develop slowly. A photoelectric smoke alarm can be minutes faster than an ionization smoke alarm in responding to a smoldering fire. Regardless of the type of smoke alarm, as soon as the smoke alarm sounds, leave the home as fast as possible.

In a smoldering fire:

A fire escape plan will help reduce the amount of escape time required for you and your family to get out safely.
When the smoke alarm sounds, leave the home as fast as possible; it is unpredictable when the smoldering fire may burst into a flaming fire.
These types of fires produce a lot of smoke; getting low may make it easier to breathe and see. The smoke contains toxic gases which can disorient you or, at worst, overcome you.
If your primary escape path is blocked by smoke, flames, and heat, use your secondary escape method, such as alternative door or window.