What is the first thing you should do if you discover a fire?

Author: Florine Schinner  |  Last update: Friday, May 29, 2026

Remember to GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency phone number. Yell "Fire!" several times and go outside right away. If you live in a building with elevators, use the stairs. Leave all your things where they are and save yourself.

What is the first thing to do when a fire is discovered?

Pull the fire alarm and call for help. Alert people in the area to begin evacuation. Assist those with disabilities. If you know how to use a fire extinguisher and have a clear exit path behind you, bring the extinguisher within 6 feet of the fire.

What is the first thing you should do in a fire?

In case of a fire, stay calm, evacuate promptly, alert others, call emergency services when safe, and keep fire extinguishers and first aid kits accessible. Alert others: Shout and alert everyone in the house. If possible, pull the fire alarm if one is available.

What is the first thing you would do if you discovered a fire?

Notice: In case of fire, your first responsibility is to escape unharmed and sound the alarm. Use a fire extinguisher only if you have been trained to use one and you have a clear exit path behind you.

What should be your first concern if you discover a fire?

Inform people in the immediate area to evacuate. If you witness a fire, activate the nearest building fire alarm and exit the building. When safe, immediately call 911. If the fire is small (wastebasket sized or smaller) and you have been trained to use a fire extinguisher, you may attempt to extinguish the fire.

Fire Safety Video - What to do if you discover a fire

What is the first action if you discover a fire?

Fires spread very quickly, so the first priority is to warn others around you. If you're in a building and it doesn't delay your escape, then press the nearest fire alarm and call 999 or 112 for emergency help. If it delays you, make the call when you've left the building.

What is the first rule of fire?

If you discover or suspect a fire, sound the building fire alarm. If there is no alarm in the building, warn the other occupants by knocking on doors and shouting as you leave. LEAVE THE BUILDING. Try to rescue others only if you can do so safely.

What is the first step to do in the fire?

What To Do In the Event of a Fire
  1. First, stay calm! ...
  2. If there is smoke in the room, get as low as you can to the floor. ...
  3. Find a safe way out of the house. ...
  4. If you are in a closed room, be sure to feel the door with the back of your hand before you open it. ...
  5. Using a window is okay as long as you are on the first floor.

How is fire first discovered?

In other words, fire has been around for millions of years. It's a natural reaction that fire didn't need to be invented. The earliest creatures that predated human beings were probably well aware of fire. When lightning would strike a forest and create a fire, it probably intrigued and amazed them.

What is the first thing you notice when there is a fire?

Smoke. An obvious sign of fire is smoke – as the old adage goes: “there's no smoke without fire”. If you know the fire is outside your door then get wet towels to block the gaps around the edge and protect yourself from the smoke while you wait for rescue or make an escape.

What should you not do when you discover a fire?

10 things not to do in a fire
  • Don't install smoke alarm detectors. ...
  • Pop upstairs to retrieve heirlooms, passports and pets. ...
  • Open doors that have smoke billowing from the joints. ...
  • Throw water on a chip pan fire. ...
  • Try and escape using a Lift. ...
  • Jump from an upstairs window. ...
  • Hide in a cupboard or under the bed. ...
  • Smoke cigarettes in bed.

What is the #1 priority during a fire?

Final answer: The first priority during a fire is ensuring the safety of everyone involved rather than immediately trying to put out the fire. Emergency services should be called right away, and only if it's safe to do so should attempts be made to control the fire.

What should be your first action if you discover a fire aboard a ship?

If a fire starts on your vessel: Warn passengers and make a distress call on your marine radio. Shut off fuel lines and gas lines immediately. Try to put out the fire using your bucket and fire extinguisher.

What is the first thing you do if you discover a fire in the building?

Remember to GET OUT, STAY OUT and CALL 9-1-1 or your local emergency phone number. Yell "Fire!" several times and go outside right away. If you live in a building with elevators, use the stairs. Leave all your things where they are and save yourself.

What should you do if you discover a person on fire?

If someone else catches on fire, smother the flames by grabbing a blanket or rug and wrapping them up in it. If a fire extinguisher is available, use it to extinguish the flames. That could save them from serious burns or even death.

Why shouldn't you open a window in a fire?

Knowing this, it can be tempting to break open windows to allow the smoke to billow out of the building, but this is the wrong thing to do. Breaking open windows allows the fire to gain more access to oxygen which helps the fire grow, which would greatly decrease your chances of escape.

How old are humans on Earth?

Anatomically modern humans emerged around 300,000 years ago in Africa, evolving from Homo heidelbergensis or a similar species. Migrating out of Africa, they gradually replaced and interbred with local populations of archaic humans.

What did humans eat before fire?

In the earliest era of the Stone Age, the Paleolithic diet consisted of raw meat and fish. Before humans learned how to create fire and use it to cook food, the animals were eaten raw. Raw meat was consumed for approximately the first one million years of human existence.

Is a fire alive theory?

In discussions about fires, fire officials often refer to the “behavior” of the fire, giving it a life-like element to this natural disaster. A fire necessitates oxygen and fuel to sustain itself, similar to the basic requirements of living organisms. Despite these similarities, a fire is not classified as living.

What is the first thing to do when seeing a fire?

Rescue -- Rescue anyone in danger from the fire if it does not jeopardize your own life. Alarm -- Sound the alarm by activating a pull station to set off the building fire alarm. Confine -- Try to confine the fire by closing all doors and windows to trap the fire and slow its progress.

What is the first thing to do during a fire?

During a Fire
  • Drop down to the floor and crawl low, under any smoke to your exit. ...
  • Before opening a door, feel the doorknob and door. ...
  • If you open a door, open it slowly. ...
  • If you can't get to someone needing assistance, leave the home and call 9-1-1 or the fire department.

Should fire doors be kept shut?

As previously mentioned, in order to work effectively, fire doors should always remain closed. If not, a fire will be able to spread quickly, and it will be harder to contain it. Despite this, sometimes people will wedge fire doors open for a whole host of reasons. Whatever the case, it should not be done.

What is the golden rule of fire?

Nobody should put themselves in danger to fight a fire and it is important that anyone attempting to fight a fire knows how to use the equipment and has a clear exit route available. The golden rule is that only one extinguisher is used. If that fails to extinguish the fire, STOP and leave.

Should I fight a fire?

This is probably the most important decision you will face when a fire breaks out. If you are not trained in portable extinguisher use, the answer is easy: you should evacuate, and never attempt to fight a fire if you do not have extinguisher training.

What is the first priority in a fire?

R.A.C.E.: Remove, Alarm, Confine and Extinguish or Evacuate

stands for 'Remove, Alarm, Confine and Extinguish or Evacuate. This easy to remember acronym is our University procedure in the case of a fire.

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