How do you escape an apartment building fire?

In the event of a fire, a working Smoke Alarm used in conjunction with an Escape Plan will greatly increase your chances of getting out safely. Smoke alarms can alert you to a fire, but an escape plan can then help get you and your family out fast!

Every home and workplace should have a fire escape plan. Accidental home fires by their very nature can catch people unawares. Without an escape plan you are placing your life and your families' lives in jeopardy.

Escape Plan Checklist

• Draw your escape plan on paper or our printable grid, and discuss your escape plan with your whole family (download and print your grid).
• Know and record two safe ways out of every room.
• Make sure that your windows and doors are not obstructed and can be unlocked and opened quickly if necessary.
• As you escape make sure you close internal doors behind you. This can reduce fire spread and minimise damage.
• Decide on a safe outside meeting place eg. Near the letterbox.
• GET OUT and STAY OUT! Never go back inside a burning building.
• Install smoke alarms: test them monthly and change the batteries every 6 months (for battery operated alarms).
• Practise your escape plan regularly with the whole household including pets.
• If there is a fire in your home, do not wait, EVERY SECOND COUNTS, escape immediately and then call 000.
• Remember to consider the special needs of children, the elderly or the disabled when developing your escape plan.

Remember

• Smoke from a fire will make you confused. You cannot see through the smoke, always GET DOWN LOW and head to your nearest exit.
• When asleep you will not smell smoke and it will in fact put you into a deeper sleep.
• If your clothes catch fire: STOP, DROP, COVER and ROLL until the flames are extinguished.
• Oil, gas or wood heating units may require yearly maintenance checks.
• Only ever use fuses of the recommended rating and install an electrical safety switch.
• Home fire safety is important for the whole family and preparation can prevent a tragedy.

Tips

• Never open doors that are hot to the touch. To make sure that fire is not on the other side use the back of your hand to feel a closed door. If it feels hot, use your alternate escape route.
• Security bars require special precautions. Security bars can trap you in a fire. Windows and doors with security bars should have quick release devices to allow them to be opened immediately.

If you live in an apartment building

Smoke alarms can save your life

Having working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home dramatically increases your chances of survival. Smoke alarm batteries need to be tested every month and replaced according to the recommendations in How do I maintain my smoke alarms.

Every year the fire services responds to many fires in residential buildings of 4 storeys and above.  In such buildings, each apartment is designed to give you protection from fires that may occur within another apartment of the building.

The fire services recommend this simple safety checklist for safe living in high rise buildings.

• On every level of the building there is firefighting equipment such as fire hose reels and portable fire extinguishers for residents to use in the case of fire.

• Know where these fire hose reels and portable fire extinguishers are and know how to use them.

• The front door of your apartment should be a certified fire resistant door. Making alterations to the front door can make it unsafe in the event of fire. Check with your building management before making alterations.

• Exit points should be clearly identifiable by an illuminated green and white exit sign. Familiarise yourself with the exit points that are in your building and where they lead to.

• Ensure your apartment has a suitable number of working smoke alarms installed.

• Develop a home escape plan from your apartment, and practise it regularly.

• Never use a lift in the case of a fire. Lifts are not smoke or fire resistant.

• Fire stairs provide a safe environment that will lead you to a safe place away from the building. Never chock open any fire stair doors as this will cause smoke and heat to enter the fire stairs.

• Fire stair doors and external apartment doors are designed to self close every time. Report any problems with these doors to your building management immediately.

• Never leave anything in a fire stair well at anytime!

• Never place burning or hot materials, flammable liquids or oily rags into garbage chutes.

• Sprinkler heads should not be interfered with. Never hang anything (coat hangers included) off sprinkler heads. You and your furniture will get very wet!

• Damage to sprinkler heads, excessive smoke from the kitchen or steam from the bathroom are major causes of false alarms in residential high rise buildings. Charges may apply for unwanted false alarms.

Fire safety tips

If you cannot escape by the fire stairs, do the following:

• Close all windows and doors to stop the smoke entering your apartment.
• Call the fire services on Triple Zero (000) and tell them there is a fire in your apartment block. Tell them your apartment number and that you are unable to get out of your apartment safely, and then follow any advice given to you by the fire service.

In an Emergency Call Triple Zero (000)

A collaboration of the Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Rural Fire Service, ACT Fire Brigade and ACT Rural Fire Service

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