The mere thought of a house catching fire is dreadful. When such a nightmare becomes a reality, it is natural for anyone to panic. Fire spreads at a rapid pace. It flips your life upside down in minutes by taking lives and damaging property. If you have fire insurance, it won’t be much of an issue, but what about the threat to life? According to the United States Fire Administration, 1409 civilian house fire deaths have been reported in 2021.

Every year, thousands of people die, and billions of properties are lost in a fire. The statistics are not to scare you but rather to emphasize the need to adopt preventative measures. When you take precautions, your odds of encountering such challenges are slim. However, if you ever find yourself in a fire, don’t freak out and follow the guidelines below.

1. Call 911

The first thing that should come to mind is to dial 911 for immediate assistance. They will arrive quickly and begin by rescuing the residents of the house. They will make efforts to retrieve your property once all of their lives have been saved. To put out the fire, firefighters may cause damage to property such as doors, windows, ceilings, etc. However, for several reasons, assistance may be delayed at times. You just cannot sit up and wait for them because the fire spreads rapidly.

In such cases, you must seek the assistance of private but licensed and trained professionals who have completed proper restoration business training. In fact, even you can get such training to help your community if any such incident happens with them. They often provide community services and are well-equipped with the essential fire extinguishing techniques.

In addition to putting out the fire, their experienced team will assist you with other problems, such as water damage, shattered windows, broken doors, etc. They will also help you with getting rid of any remnants of smoke on the property.

2. Try to extinguish the fire

In the meantime, use an extinguisher to stop the fire until help arrives. However, this is only advised when the fire has just begun. This one precautionary measure might contain the fire. Follow the steps highlighted on the extinguisher to put an end to the fire. The only major thing you need to remember here is to aim at the base of the flames. This will ensure that the fire does not worsen. But, if that happens, it is best to leave the premises immediately.

3. Crawl and escape

God forbid, but if you did not manage to leave the house on time, don’t worry. You still have a chance, but you must be cautious. Crawl under the flames to the nearest escape. Crawling will keep you from breathing harmful smoke from a fire and becoming lightheaded or unconscious.

4. Cover nose

When you inhale poisonous smoke from a fire, you will feel lightheaded, unconscious, and your lungs will be affected. So, whenever you’re in a fire and trying to escape, be sure you cover your nose with a cloth, and it’s much better if you can dampen the fabric and protect it. This will keep smoke from getting into your lungs.

5. Run

When you near the exit, don’t just walk but sprint out of the house. This is because the home’s outside structure, such as the roof, might catch fire and fall to the ground. It’s possible that it might hit you. Hence, it is best to run down the block or across the street.

6. Forget belongings

No matter how vital the belongings are to you, please do not waste time gathering them. Fire spreads fast, and it is not a good idea to race against it for saving your favorite belongings. First, try to save your life, everything else comes second. However, you can still ask the cops or someone from the fire department to see if they can help with anything.

7. Drop and roll

It’s possible that your clothes might catch fire. Again, don’t panic or run; lie on the ground and roll over on your back-this aids in extinguishing the fire caught in your clothes. Rolling on the ground will break the oxygen supply, which is required by the fire to fume. This can also be achieved in other ways, such as staying close to the earth.

8. Close doors

While escaping rooms, keep shutting doors. When the doors open, fire can easily penetrate the adjacent room. Closing the doors will slow the spread of the fire and give you enough time to run away from the house.

You will be lost and overwhelmed the minute your house catches fire. You may be scared by the time you return to your senses and realize the extent of the damage. But try not to be since the damage has been done and there is nothing you can do to turn back the clock. Take a deep breath, relax, and mourn. Don’t allow worry and anxiety to take over; instead, take baby steps, one at a time.