The best way to protect yourself and your home is to have properly installed smoke alarms. As a minimum you should have one fitted to the ceiling in the downstairs hall and one on the upstairs landing ceiling. In an apartment/bungalow, one in the corridor and one in the lounge. They should be fitted away from any door frames and near the centre of the ceiling. Don't fit one in the kitchen as it will be going off all the time.
Make sure that smoke alarms are maintained regularly. Test once a week and change the battery at least once a year if it doesn't have a 10-year battery. DO NOT REMOVE THE BATTERY TO USE IN ANOTHER APPLIANCE, buy another battery!
If your smoke alarm goes off, do you know what to do?
* Make your escape plan. Get out alive
* Discuss your escape plan with everyone in your home, especially
children, the elderly and disabled.
* Your best escape route is your normal way in and out of your
home so keep it clear.
* Think of diffculties you or others may have getting out, for
example in the middle of the night, and either remove the
problem or plan a way around it.
* Make sure everyone knows where to fnd door and window keys.
* Consider a second escape route, in case the frst one is blocked.
* Establish the safest and quickest ways to escape from each part
of the house.
* Regularly take a few minutes to practice the escape routes with
everyone in your household.
* Review your plan regularly, especially if you make any
changes in your home.
* Check that everyone can unlock and open doors and
windows easily.
* Remember to shut doors behind you.
In the event of a fire;
* Check door handles with the back of your hand. If they are
warm do not open them.
* If the door handle is cool carefully open the door, then follow
your chosen escape route crawling beneath any smoke.
* If it is impossible to escape get everyone into one room,
preferably with a window and a phone.
* Close the door, put cushions and bedding around the bottom of
the door to block out smoke.
* Phone 110 for the Fire and Rescue Service. It is a good idea
that you keep a mobile phone to hand.
* Make your way to a window, open it, stay near it for fresh air
and to let the firefghters see you.
* If you are on the ground foor, you may be able to escape
through a window. If you are higher up, only consider this if
you are in immediate danger.
* If you need to break a window, use a sharp object to break the
glass in the bottom corner. Then knock out the glass. Be
careful of sharp edges; make them safe by laying a towel or blanket
over them. Double glazing is difficult to break but can be done
using a heavy (ish) sharp stone chisel as above.
* If you are in immediate danger and it is safe to do so,throw
bedding out of the window and lower yourself to the ground -
don't jump.
* Never go back into thebuilding for anything- not even for your
pets. Wait for the Fire and Rescue Service and give them as much
information as possible.
If your clothes catch on fire;
* Do not run around
* Lie down and roll on the foor
* If someone else is on fire, tell them to lie down then smother the
flames with heavy material such as a coat, blanket or fire blanket.
* Stop, drop and roll!
Once you have escaped call 110.
... Speak slowly and clearly.
... Give the whole address, including the town and Sokak.
... Explain if anyone is trapped and what room they are in.(If you
can speak Turkish)
It may be advisable to have some Turkish phrases, applicable to fire, written down near your phone.
Buy a fire extinguisher? No! it will put you in more danger and they are only usefull for a fire the size of a waste paper bin.
Basically;
* Fit a smoke alarm and check it regularly.
* Make a fire action plan so that everyone in your house knows how to escape in the event of fire.
* Take care when cooking with hot oil and think about using thermostatically controlled deep fat fryers.
* Never leave lit candles unattended.
* Ensure cigarettes are stubbed out and disposed of carefully.
* Never smoke in bed.
* Keep matches and lighters away from children.
* Keep clothing away from heating appliances.
* Take care in the kitchen! Accidents whilst cooking account for 59% of fires in the home.
* Take special care when you are tired or when you've been drinking. Half of all deaths in domestic fires happen during the night and after alcohol has been consumed.
Reproduced, and modified to suit Turkey, from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service advice. (My old mob)
