Do you know how to escape from a fire?

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Methods for escaping from a fire: When a large fire breaks out, among those trapped by the flames, some people, in their panic, jump from buildings and die or suffer permanent disabilities, while others manage to escape and survive despite the danger. While this is certainly related to factors such as the time and location of the fire, its intensity, and the fire-fighting facilities available in the building, there is another important factor: whether the people trapped by the fire have the ability to escape when disaster strikes. If we raise our awareness of fire safety and master knowledge on escaping and saving ourselves, we can avoid the dangers of fire and stay safe. So how can one escape and save oneself in a fire? . 1. Being familiar with environmental law means understanding and becoming aware of the fire safety conditions in the buildings we are in, whether on a regular basis or temporarily. For buildings where people work or live regularly, more detailed evacuation plans can be developed in advance, along with the necessary evacuation training and drills. When we go out and enter public places such as shopping malls, hotels, restaurants, and dance halls, we should pay attention to the locations of emergency exits, safety exits, and fire extinguishers, so that we can evacuate and put out fires promptly in case of a fire. Only by keeping the alarm bells ringing and developing such habits can one remain calm in the face of danger and not panic. For example, on the late night of April 18, 1985, a massive fire broke out at Harbin’s tallest and most luxurious hotel, the Swan Hotel; it was caused by an American who was smoking in bed while drunk, which led to the bedding catching fire. As a result, 10 tourists from home and abroad died and 7 were injured. This incident not only caused significant economic losses but also had serious political consequences. A Japanese guest was staying on the floor where the fire broke out. He checked the surroundings at the door before entering his room on the 18th and thus became aware of the evacuation exits. Realizing there was a fire at night, they made their way through the smoke-filled corridors straight toward the evacuation exit, thus managing to escape with their lives. This is the advantage of Japaners becoming familiar with their surroundings in advance. The rapid evacuation method: escaping is an action that requires acting against the clock. Once you hear a fire alarm or realize that you might be trapped by smoke and flames, do not hesitate at all. Immediately run out of the room and try to escape; do not miss the opportunity to flee. In fire scenes, it is common to see people delay their escape in order to save their personal belongings. In 1989, in Dongliao County, there was a tragedy in which a young woman, having escaped from the danger, returned to the fire scene to get dressed and steal belongings, resulting in her death in the flames. Generally speaking, in the early stages of a fire, there is little smoke and the fire is small; as long as people evacuate quickly, they can escape safely. The towel protection method: When the concentration of carbon monoxide produced in a fire reaches 1.28% in the air, it can cause death by suffocation within 1 to 3 minutes. At the same time, the hot air generated by combustion is inhaled, which can severely burn the soft tissues of the respiratory system and also lead to suffocation and death. When escaping, you can soak a towel and fold it to cover your mouth and nose; if there is no water, a dry towel will do as well. If no towel is available, napkins, masks, or clothes can be used as substitutes. Fold it into several layers to cover the mouth and nose tightly, thereby enhancing the smoke-filtering effect. When passing through a smoke-filled area, even if you feel short of breath, do not remove the towel from your mouth and nose, as this could lead to immediate poisoning. The passage evacuation method: in the event of a fire in a building, it is necessary to choose the most convenient and safe evacuation passages and facilities based on the severity of the fire. Such as evacuation stairs, fire elevators, outdoor evacuation stairs, etc. When escaping from a smoke-filled building, you can pour some water on your head and body, and cover yourself with wet clothes, wet sheets, wet blankets, etc. Move at a low height or crawl to get through the dangerous area. In the absence of other rescue equipment, considering using the building’s windows, balconies, drain pipes, etc., to escape can be an option. For example, on February 14, 1993, a massive fire broke out at the Linxi Department Store in Tangshan City, resulting in 80 deaths and 53 injuries. Among the survivors was a woman named Liu Liying. At the time of the fire, she was shopping on the third floor; in the chaos, she lay on the floor and crawled down to the second floor, from where she jumped out through a window and managed to survive. The rope sliding method: when all exits are blocked by thick smoke and flames, a strong rope can be used, or curtains, bed sheets, quilts, etc. can be torn into strips and twisted into ropes. These ropes should be soaked in water before being tied to sturdy heating pipes, window frames, or bed frames. The people trapped can then slide down slowly along the ropes to the ground or to the next floor, thereby escaping danger. The low-floor jump method: if trapped on the second floor by a fire and there are no conditions to use other self-rescue methods nor any possibility of receiving assistance, then, as a last resort under the threat of flames, it is possible to jump from the building to escape. However, before jumping, soft items such as quilts, pillows, mattresses, coats, etc. should be thrown down first to facilitate a softer landing. Then, using hands to grip the window sill, the body hangs down, head first and feet last, sliding downward naturally to reduce the height of the fall. If you are trapped on a floor above the third floor by fireworks, never rush to jump out of the building. Because it is too high above the ground, jumping down can easily result in serious injuries or death. As long as there is a glimmer of hope, do not take the risk of jumping off a building. With the help of various equipment, when people are in a fire and their lives are at risk, no one should give up hope of survival until the last moment. There are many types of equipment and devices used for escape and rescue; common ones include descent devices, life bags, life nets, air mattresses, life ladders, rescue slides, rescue platforms, and guiding ropes. If these equipment and devices can be utilized effectively, it is possible to escape from the fire. According to the law on temporary shelter, when there is no way to escape, one should actively seek a temporary place of shelter to protect oneself and wait for an opportunity to flee. In large, multi-functional complex buildings, shelter rooms located next to elevators, at the ends of corridors, and near restrooms can be used to take cover from the hazards of smoke and fire. For example, on January 9, 1994, during the fire at the Shikengwei branch of HSBC, more than 10 employees had no way to escape and were forced to take shelter in a room, thereby saving their lives. During the escape process, promptly closing fire doors, fire shutters and other fire barriers, as well as activating ventilation and smoke exhaust systems, all contribute to facilitating evacuation, and it is important to make use of these measures. The sign-guidance method involves installing fire safety signs and emergency lighting signs such as “Emergency Exit,” “Safety Passage,” “Fire Alarm Phone,” “Escape Direction Arrows,” and “Lighting” on the walls, ceilings, above doors, and at turns in public places. When trapped people see these signs, they can immediately determine what to do and evacuate in an orderly manner following the directions indicated by the signs, thereby addressing the urgent situation. The method of benefiting both others and oneself means that during the escape of many trapped people, congestion, clustering, and even trampling can easily occur, leading to blocked passages and unnecessary casualties. Acting in one’s own interest at the expense of others, and hindering others’ evacuation, is highly unethical. Crowding and trampling on each other hinders both one’s own escape and that of others. Therefore, in the face of immoral behavior such as focusing only on one’s own escape while ignoring the fate of others, as well as crowded crowds, one should not only refrain from participating but also find every means to stop it firmly. If someone ahead falls, they should be helped up immediately. In crowded situations, people should be directed elsewhere or other evacuation methods used to relieve the pressure on a single evacuation route, and every effort should be made to keep the evacuation routes clear in order to minimize casualties. In 2001, a fire broke out in the World Trade Center in the United States, and employees evacuated in an orderly manner. Swing gently and toss lightly, seeking help. Only by fully exposing oneself can one strive to save themselves effectively. Those trapped by fireworks and unable to escape immediately should stay in areas such as balconies or windows where they can be easily seen and where they can stay away from the fireworks. During the day, you can wave bright clothes outside the window or throw out light, eye-catching objects ； At night, one can use a flashlight to flash continuously at the window or tap on objects in order to send an effective distress signal and draw the attention of rescuers. Since firefighters enter buildings by moving along the walls, when one is suffocated by smoke and unable to save themselves, they should try to roll toward the wall or the door so that firefighters can find them and rescue them ； Furthermore, rolling toward the wall can also prevent the collapse of the house’s structure from injuring you; if fire has reached you, do not run in panic. If someone at a fire finds that their clothes have caught fire, they must never run around or try to smother the flames with their hands, as running or patting at the fire creates wind currents that accelerate the supply of oxygen and thus intensify the fire. If your clothes catch fire, you should quickly try to remove them or roll on the ground to extinguish the flames ； It is even more effective to be able to jump into the water promptly or have water poured on one’s body to extinguish the fire.