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What to do in an emergency

We all hope it will never happen but if a fire starts in your home, you need to know what to do. Reading this information will only take you a few minutes – but it could save your life.

If there’s a fire:

Alert everyone: 
  • Shout “FIRE!” to alert everyone in your house;
  • Get everyone together.
Don’t delay
  • You can’t afford to waste any time;
  • Don’t investigate the fire or try to tackle it yourself;
  • Don’t look for valuables, whether that’s jewellery, documents, photographs or whatever;
  • Don’t go looking for pets.
Shut doors
  • Only open the doors you need to make your way out;
  • Before you open doors, check them with the back of your hand. If it’s warm, don’t open it – fire is on the other side.
Get everyone out
  • Use your escape route;
  • Stay together if you can.
Crawl on the floor if there’s smoke
  • Remember, smoke is poisonous and can kill you;
  • If there’s smoke, keep low where the air is cleaner.
Call 999
  • Once you’ve escaped, call 999 for help;
  • Speak slowly and clearly;
  • Give your full address, including the town;
  • Say exactly what is on fire (e.g. two-storey house);
  • Make it clear if anyone is trapped and what room they are in;
  • The more information the fire service has, the quicker it can get to you and act when it gets there.
Don’t go back in
  • Don’t go back in for anything;
  • If there’s someone still inside, wait for the fire service to arrive. You can tell them about the person and they will be able to find them quicker than you;
  • If you go back inside the building, it will put your life in great danger and slow down the firefighters’ efforts to rescue anyone else that is missing.
Wait near the building 
  • Find somewhere safe to wait;
  • When the fire service arrives, give them as much information as possible about the fire and the building.
If your escape route is blocked
  • Call 999 and tell the operator that you can’t get out;
  • Get everyone into one room with a window and a phone and shut the door;
  • Put something around the door (like bedding) to stop smoke getting in;
  • Open the window and shout “FIRE!”.
Stop, Drop and Roll

If your clothes catch fire:

  • Don’t run around, you’ll make the flames worse;
  • Lie down and roll around. It makes it harder for the fire to spread;
  • Smother the flames with a heavy material, like a coat or blanket;
  • Remember… STOP, DROP and ROLL!