smoke alarms

[toffee]

I have just asked a question on the electrical forum about a kiddies lamp and fire risk of leaving it on all night.

It reminded me to check my smoke alarms.

I know that you are supposed to do a practice run on how to get out of the house safely in the case of fire.
You should do it in the day ime but also practice at night time in the dark as power often goes.
Hopefully that will teach children and you yourself calmly how to get out.. just in case.

Little things like making the children all hold hands so they stay together because in the dark and with smoke, you cant see someone and cant always hear them very well, if they were to get seperated.

Making sure that door or window keys are always in the same place, and if the door etc key is on a bunch... making sure that it is easily identifiable in the dark and when your hands may be shaking!!

I dont want to sound doom and gloom here either!

I just wonder how many of us (me included) are complacent about these things? choosing to just hope that it never happens to us??

When I was little we had a house fire and I remember as a very small child seeing my dad tentatively open adoor that smoke was coming through (big no no) and seeing the flames appear and him pushing it shut and getting us out.

Also, once as young adult, fell asleep with pals exhausted after work and chip pan on... it went on fire and it was only the smoke alarm that alerted us in time.
(ended up with a house full of firefighters though.... and although we got words of advice!!!... it wasnt an altogether unpleasant experience )

 

[joe-90]

It's the smoke that you inhale from a white stick that kills. More than any inustrial, domestic, road, illegal drug deaths put together.


joe

 

[toffee]

I dont smoke and hate passive smoking, though I used to smoke myself a long time ago.
Incidently, cigs start many fires too!!!

However, what I wanted to know was does anyone at all actually bother to go through what they should do in the event of fire at home? especially those with kids?

 

[joe-90]

I did when my kids were younger. They both knew their exit route.

joe

 

[masona]

toffee, this is an old post of mine which may interest you and others about Hotel fire, home or aboard.

Quite a bit to read but could save your life and this was part of our fire training at work.

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=11463&highlight=

When I'm in any Hotel I make a note of the hotel layout plan to help me to get out.

 

[empip]

Almost silly really ... nailbar (what a tool ) in loft ... Astride the roof apex may be the only option... Am reasonably sure twill never happen.

But then, in '68 some villages in the Chew Valley south of Bristol were flooded to the bedroom ceilings in a summer deluge. five inches of rain falling in less than 24 hrs...
Now the cleave Spread rate calculator reveals that 5" rain on 1 acre = 506 Tons (Imp) ..... 640 acres = 1 Mile², That is 323,840 tons per sq mile ... About 70 m² forms the valley !!!.... That weight of water does real damage...
Have not fitted houses with lifeboats since tho'
http://weldgen.tripod.com/the-great-flood-1968/

 

[toffee]

that was interesting thought provoking.
I have just gone and put door keys on seperate fobs.
I always keep the keys in the same place but there are 3 keys which are identical and Im always faffing about trying to find the right one.

I bet that most people know what they should do but just never get round to doing it.

I tend to leave all the doors open around the inside of the house too, so thats another habit I will have to change.

We have a river behind us which does flood but luckily has never come up to the house.
Hub and I did discuss one day what we would if we were flooded and I woundered then how we get onto the roff and if I would be able to break throught the roof on my own with the 3 young boys.

That is as far as it got.
I have never even been in my loft (yes... shame on me.. I dont like spiders )
I still dont know how we get up on there. Is it difficult to break through slates from the inside?


I know that some readers will be shaking their heads and possibly think Im being over dramatic.
I dont really care.

Flooding and fire is a distict possible reality. (keswick and carlisle floods not long ago)
I am going to try and find out the things I should know as opposed to just giving it a passing thought and doing nothing about it.

 

[masona]

I still dont know how we get up on there. Is it difficult to break through slates from the inside?

I know that some readers will be shaking their heads and possibly think Im being over dramatic.
I dont really care.

Surpising how many people do overlook safely and I was in a house fire in my childhood days and still get nightmare. Safely cost very little and it's a bargain against your life.

I have a Velux escape window, these window goes right back to the roof tiles for easy access and give good daylight in loft, a bonus would be to have a rope ladder.

Also best to have a decent loft ladder as well and floorboards to the window

Any fire or flooding then you can get out easily without panicking

 

[toffee]

We dont have floor boards down in loft, nor a ladder. (but we will have now)

Also, out of interest... plastic doors and windows.. will they not distort in the heat ?

though Im guessing that if heat was strong enough to distort then you wouldnt be able to get anywhere near anyway?

We have just done a practice escape run from all being in our seperate bedrooms.. blindfolded.
The three boys and I.
My middle boy, let go of his brother and stumbled back to his room to try and get his bunny... then panicked because he couldnt get back to us quickly...etc...

I guess it was a good lesson learned safely... real life could have been different.


We practised again and learned lots.
Even down to realising that if the fire alarm was sounding we wouldnt be able to hear mammy or daddy shouting out instructions.

Im not sure that they would understand not to open their door,and to check if it was hot first, I think they would panic and instinct would be to get to mammy or daddy.

That said, the bedroom doors are usually always open.

I think, like the article suggest, if you can make what to do become a habit then panic wont set in as easily.

The kids felt really proud of themselves afterwards.
( I was suprised at just how hard it is to get a key in the hole on a double glazed door with your eyes shut. Thats minus the shakes that I imagine would set in if for real.

On a lighter note.. when planning our second escape route (through my bedroom french windows) they suggested I jump first and they could then land on me!!!!!!! kids......

If you have kids, there are some good sites on the internet where they can play and learn about fire safety...

 

[gasmarkone]

I always leave keys on inside locks at night just in case. I really feel for your hubby now toffee, that loft is nice and empty like mine was BEFORE a loft ladder was installed. Now its full of cr*p. DON'T DO IT [fire hazard!!??].[/list]

 

[toffee]

I ordered ladders but hadnt measured holes.
I have 3 but on measuring them, they are all too small for the ladders to fit through .
Thought I was being smart...

 

[gasmarkone]

Wot, do you live in a mansion. All coming out now, lady of leisure methinks . Theres also a three hole left right & centre joke going begging, but hey its bank hols. I'm s'posed to be looking 4 cars at the mo. Sold my 4x4 , so just popping around in the Morris Minor at the moment, which is b...dy good fun. Thats why I keep looking in the door, see oo's a boot.

 

[toffee]

I have 3 loft holes because my house was originally more than one house!

So no... not a mansion!

does your car have the wooden panels on the side??? I really really want one of those!
I have a little skoda (so obviously not loaded!!)
but I really love those cars!

 

[gasmarkone]

No it doesn't, that's called a 'traveller', estate version. Ours is a basic 3 door minor. Wifes Dad left it to us, its been fully restored, like new. Superb fun to drive, if you meet another on the road you always get a wave.

Got to go and carve a minute. Roast pork mmmmmmm........

 

[toffee]

brilliant...
and enjoy...

we are waiting for dad to get in from work ...
boys tried to catch fish ( Im not doing maggots) but we have some trout in the freezer that the we are going to cook together (oh the joys of motherehood) and pretend to dad (texted him in advance to warn him to look convinced or else ) that the boys caught them!!!!!!

mother in law landing too... ( great... just fan dabby dosy)