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If There is a Fire: Tell Everyone and Get Out

Escape

You need to act instantly, swiftly and calmly once you become aware of a fire:

  • Alert everyone.
  • Make sure everyone in your home knows about the fire.
  • Shout.
  • Get everyone together.

Don’t delay. You can’t afford to waste any time.

  • Don’t investigate the fire.
  • Don’t go looking for valuables - whether that’s jewellery, photographs, documents or whatever.
  • Don’t go looking for pets. Shut doors as you go out, only open the doors you need to. Close any open doors.
  • Before you open a door check it with the back of your hand. If it’s warm, don’t open it - the fire is the other side.
  • Crawl on the floor if there’s smoke. The air is cleaner near the floor so if there’s smoke put your nose as low as possible.
  • Remember, smoke is poisonous and is the main cause of death in house fires.

Get Everyone Out

Use your escape route. Stay together if you can

Call 999

Once you’ve escaped, use a mobile, a neighbour’s phone or a phone box. 999 calls are free.

Don’t call the local fire station’s number - it will probably take longer to be answered.

  • Speak slowly and clearly.
  • Give the whole address of your home, including the town.
  • Say what is on fire (e.g. a two-storey house).
  • Explain if anyone is trapped and what room they are in.
  • The more information the Fire and Rescue Service has, the quicker it can get to you and act when it gets there.

Don’t go back in for anything.

If there’s someone still inside, wait for the Fire and Rescue 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, you will slow down the firefighters’ efforts to rescue anyone else missing, apart from putting your life in great danger.

Emergency SMS

Emergency SMS is a new trial service that allows deaf, hard of hearing and speech-impaired people in the UK to send an SMS text message to the UK 999 service.

For information on this service, click here

Wait Near the Building

Find somewhere safe to wait. When the Fire and Rescue Service arrives, give them as much information as possible about the fire and the building.