EMERGENCIES

Upholstery and Clothing Fires

FIRE

The best thing to remember when there is a fire in the house is –

• GET OUT
• CALL THE FIRE BRIGADE OUT
  
• STAY OUT

Smoke, especially from plastic-foam upholstery, can kill in less than two minutes. It is a good idea, however, to know how to deal with small household emergency.

Upholstered furniture fire

As mentioned above, burning plastic foam gives off thick black smoke and/or toxic fumes which can kill in less than two minutes. DO NOT try to put the fire out – you have not got time.

Step 1 Leave the room and close the door to stop smoke spreading.

Step 2 Call the fire brigade.

A person’s clothes on fire

Step 1

Prevent the person concerned from running around – remember fast movements fan flames.

Step 2

Lay victim down. This prevents the flames from rising to the head and minimises burns.

Step 3

Douse flames with water or any other non-flammable liquid to hand e.g. milk.

Alternatively,

Wrap victim tightly in a heavy coat, blanket, curtain or other thick fabric and lay them down flat.

Tips

DO NOT use nylon or man-made material to smother flames. These will just melt and cause more damage.

DO NOT roll victim along the ground as this can cause burns to previously unharmed skin.

The smell of burning at night

Step 1
Wake up everyone else in the house.

Step 2
Get everyone outside.

Step 3
Shut doors behind you to slow down the spread of flames and smoke.

Step 4
Find the nearest phone and call the Fire Brigade.

Tip

DO NOT open doors to see the fire. This can cause blow backs and. at the very least, will fan the flames.

Remember
GET OUT, CALL THE FIRE BRIGADE OUT AND STAY OUT

CHIP PAN AND ELECTRICAL FIRES