We have many reasons to celebrate the month of March. Aside from celebrating people’s date of birth, the month of March is best known as “Women’s Month” but, other than that, this is also the month where we get to hear a lot of blaring sirens from the fire trucks, which lead us into thinking whether if there is an actual fire or not. Let’s not forget, schools in every year level, companies, and even the community will also be busy practicing some drills and safety precautions. I guess you have now an idea as to what I am talking about. Yes, I am talking about fire drills, first aid and basic survival skills. This month is a duly reminder for us on what to do when there is a case of fire. Yes, this month is also “Fire Prevention Month”.
In cases of fire, most of us tend to panic and don’t know what else to do. It’s our nature and instinct to run away and protect ourselves from any form of harm. Sometimes, doing such thing is good but sometimes it is not. When anxiety and panic over rules our calm demeanor the result is not as pleasant as what it seems. What we thought is harmless has the reverse effect. Instead, we tend to cause a lot more damage than what’s necessary. Facing a crisis such as this, needs preparation: physically, emotionally and mentally.
What do we need to do:
1. POST the emergency numbers near the telephone.
– You don’t need to search in the phone directory. Searching can waste a lot of time and effort compared to knowing it beforehand. It takes less time. It’s quick. It’s easy.
2. Install FIRE alarms or SMOKE detectors.
– These are helpful when fire occurs at night and you are sleeping soundly. Hearing the blazing alarms can wake up your senses and your adrenalin rushes over.
3. Keep any chemicals, matches etc. AWAY from children.
– Chemicals, matches, gas, etc. must always be way out of children’s reach if not close the lid very tightly so they can’t open it. Children have a very curious edge as to what things are. So to be safe, keep any harmful things away from them.
4. Have at least one FIRE EXTINGUISHER.
– Having one is just a precaution and also an immediate action in case there is a nearby “fire accident”.
5. Use Electricity Safely
– Kids are hyperactive and they tend to pull and poke almost anything. To be safe, cover the fuse with a tape or better yet, unplug any appliance after using. DO NOT also overload the extension this is to prevent short circuit.
6. EMERGENCY EXIT
– You may have done all these, but, the action that we most likely take is to run directly to the door. So, it’s better to have two exits in different part of the house and that exit must be leading you away from danger.
7. FIRST AID Kit
– This is always a MUST. We should have this set aside in our home because in case of any injury, early treatment lessens the extent of injury thus, we should apply it before any medical assistance arrives on the scene.
Let’s say in a manner of speaking, something unfortunate happens to you. You could either be caught in fire or trapped in a enclose room. What should you do? Of course, we can’t let you run around loose like a mad dog and scream “FIRE! FIRE! “ and most definitely not to stay in the room and WAIT for someone to rescue you. Sometimes, we only got ourselves in some situations and we can’t always depend on others. That is why we must know at least the basic thing to do if we are in such dire situations like:
A. What to do when your clothes caught on fire?
There are about 3 steps in putting out the fire. It’s simple as:
STOP, DROP , ROLL and COOL.
Stop – You should stop moving because moving feeds air to the flames and worsen the fire.
Drop – Drop on the ground and put your arms in your chest to protect yourself and your face from the flames.
Roll – Rolling on the ground can help putting the fire off.
Cool – For injuries, let it coll under the running water for a couple of minutes to relieve pain and to cleanse the area. This is applicable to first and secondary degree of burns. after which, you can put some ointment to relieve more pain and reduces redness.
B. Can I peel off the clothing that is sticking in my skin?
The answer is NO.
DON’T peel the clothing in your skin.
– I f your clothes got burned NEVER attempt to take it off of you. The tendency is that it will peel off together with your skin causing more injury and infection. Let it stay until medical assistance arrives to tend to your wounds.
C. What should I do if I’m in a room with a lot of smoke?
First, don’t panic.
Second, don’t just stand there and do nothing.
And third…
Go down and crawl
– When your inside the room and it is filled with smoke cover your mouth and nose with a handkerchief or with your hands. As much as possible don’t inhale it cause it will be reason for you to have difficulty breathing. Instead, go down and crawl away from the fire. This way you can breathe and get away from fire quickly.
These are some of the tips on what we should and shouldn’t do. We should always be prepared when trouble arises so we won’t panic and be clear headed when doing the next step. You, being prepared means a lot of things you not just help yourself to survive but, also set as a good example to other people as well.
By: Girl on fire
Disclaimer: Photos credits to the owner(s)