Preparednes

• Prepare and practice a response plan for residential and office complexes.
• Regularly carry out and practice fire rescue drills such as stop, drop, and roll.
• Ensure that all residents/visitors are periodically trained to face different emergency situations and provide first aid.
• Ensure that smoke alarms are fitted in buildings and are functional.
• Try to make your residential building, office premises, etc. ‘No Smoking’ zones. If you absolutely need to, create a separate smoking area
• Be familiar with the exit routes.
• Keep the exit routes /staircases free of any obstructions. Periodically check evacuation routes for obstruction, if any.
• Ensure that there is enough open area and wide roads available in and around your home and office premises to ensure easy access and movement of emergency vehicles.
• Ensure that exit routes are marked and fire fighting equipment is working properly in your office premises and residential area.
• Ensure that your house and office premises have a first aid kit placed at every segment.
• Do not leave any open fire unattended.
• Do not accumulate old newspapers or combustible materials in your house
• Do not burn waste, dry leaves or vegetation. Always dispose of through appropriate municipal channels.
• Do not store flammable liquids in the house.
• Always keep matches and lighters locked away from children.
• Do not keep papers, clothes and flammable liquids near heaters/stoves/open chulhas.
• Keep LPG gas stoves on a raised platform; do not keep them on the floor.
• Turn off the gas cylinder valve and knob of the gas stove after cooking.
• Don’t throw matches, cigarette butts, etc. in waste baskets.
• Don’t place oil lamps, agarbattis or candles on wooden floor or near combustible material.
• Don’t wear loose, flowing and synthetic clothes while cooking.
• Never reach for any article over a fire.
• Always evaluate the electric load requirement for your premises and ensure that the power company supplies electricity accordingly. This will help avoid heating due to overload.
• Use standard electrical appliances, switches and fuses, etc. to prevent fire from electrical short circuit. Also, ensure that there are enough Earth-leakage Circuit Breakers (ELCBs) to prevent short circuit.
• Regularly check for loose electrical connections. Do not run electric wires / cords under carpets or in congested areas.
• Switch off electrical appliances after use and remove plugs from the socket.
• Switch off the ‘Mains’ when leaving home for a long duration.
• Don’t plug too many electrical appliances in one socket.
• Ensure that there are no major electric installations near day-to-day usage area.

In Case of a fire:

• Raise an alarm and inform the Fire Brigade.
• Do not panic; Stay calm
• Unplug all electrical appliances.
• Try to extinguish the fire with available equipment
• Close the doors and other openings. Place a wet cloth under the doors to stop the smoke from spreading. Use a wet cloth to cover your mouth to filter inhalation.
• Exit immediately if the fire is out of control.
• Do not go back for your possessions.
• In case of burn injuries due to fire, pour water over burn until pain subsides.

If you are trapped by a fire:

• Stay close to the floor if smoke permeates your location.
• Before opening a door, check it for heat. Use the back of your hand to test the temperature at the top of the door, the knob and the frame before opening. If it is hot, do not open.
• If you are unable to escape through a door, use a window. However, if it is too high to jump from a window, try to attract attention by waving something.
• If you can leave the room, close the door behind you - this will slow down the progress of the fire. Crawl low.
• If your clothes catch fire, drop to the ground and roll to extinguish flames.

In case you hear the fire alarm:

• Leave the premises by the nearest available exit.
• Close all doors and windows behind you.
• Do not use lifts. Use staircases
• On arrival of the fire service, help them to help you.
• Give way to fire engines to enable them to reach the spot quickly
• Don’t park your vehicles close to fire hydrants/underground static water tanks.
• Guide firemen to water sources i.e. tube wells, ponds, static tanks, etc.