What To Do If You Discover A Fire; Chain of Events to Follow

When you discover a fire, here are a lineup of things you should do in chronological order:

What To Do If You Discover A Fire

1. RAISE ALARM: When you discover a fire anywhere, be it in the workplace or a residential facility, the first thing you should do is raise the alarm no matter how small the fire looks because it can easily grow and spread.

Sounding the alarm is the first thing that should be done in case the fire grows and spreads faster; support will be needed to put it out. At this point, you will also call the fire emergency line in your location; be calm enough to give vital information about the type of fire, location, and state of the fire.

2. EXTINGUISH THE FIRE: If the fire is still in its incipient stage, there is an appropriate and functional fire extinguisher, and you have been trained on how to use it, then this is the time to attempt to extinguish the fire.

NOTE: If you do not feel safe to attempt to extinguish the fire, please evacuate the building and wait for firefighters to arrive.

3. EVACUATE: The third thing you should do is evacuate the building. This will be achieved by using the designated escape routes (do not use the elevator), assisting others in evacuating, especially those with disabilities or limited mobility, and staying low to avoid smoke inhalation.

After the evacuation, everyone should meet at a designated assembly point where a headcount will be done to ensure that everyone has evacuated the building successfully.

NOTE: While evacuating do the following:

• Close doors and windows if possible to contain the fire and slow its spread
• Focus on getting yourself and others to safety instead of collecting items
• Inform fire personnel of the fire’s location, type if known
• Do not return after exiting the building; only return if fire officials declare it safe.

Conclusion

By following these steps:

1. Raise Alarm
2. Extinguish the fire if trained
3. Evacuate

You would have been able to minimize risks during a fire emergency.

NOTE: Whenever there is a fire emergency, always stay calm, act swiftly, and prioritize human lives over property.