What to do if a fire breaks out?\n\n1. Stay calm and assess the situation.\n2. If the fire is small and manageable, use water or a fire extinguisher to put it out.\n3. If the fire is large, do not attempt to extinguish it. Evacuate the premises immediately.\n4. Close doors behind you to slow the spread of the fire.\n5. Call the fire department at 101.\n6. If you are in a building, use stairs instead of elevators.\n7. If you are trapped in a room, close the door, seal any gaps, and inform others

Unfortunately, people often think about safety only when it is too late. Statistics show that fire victims are not only disadvantaged citizens leading an antisocial lifestyle or those who enjoy drinking. Ordinary residents also lose property, and sometimes even lives in a fire. That is why firefighters recommend knowing the basic rules of action in case of a fire.

A small fire can be extinguished manually using a blanket or towel made of non-synthetic materials: cover the flames, cutting off the oxygen supply, and the fire will go out. You can also extinguish a small fire with water, but you must remember that under no circumstances should you pour water on electrical appliances and burning oil.

1. Call the rescuers at phone number 101 if you have not managed to cope with the fire within 2-3 minutes, as further loss of time will lead to its development.

Provide the dispatcher with the address, the location of the fire, and inform them about the presence of people in the building and the threat to nearby structures.

2. Immediately leave the apartment or house. If possible, close the door to the burning room tightly - this will prevent the fire from spreading.

3. Evacuate residents and neighbors. Assist the elderly and minors.

4. If possible, disconnect the electricity in the house and turn off the gas if you live in a private sector.

5. Meet the emergency services, inform them if there are people left in the building, what is burning, and where it is burning.

If:

- you cannot leave the premises – go out onto the balcony and attract the attention of passersby;

- it is impossible to exit due to heavy smoke – seal the door gaps with wet rags, preferably around the perimeter of the door, - this will prevent smoke and high temperatures from spreading quickly throughout your apartment.

A wet rag, by the way, is a very effective makeshift tool for combating smoke, especially when there is time to find and wet it. If you cover your face (mouth and nose) with it, you can breathe relatively freely even in smoke, although not in very dense smoke. This may come in handy if your apartment becomes smoky. With a simple wet rag, you can hold out until the firefighters arrive. In extreme cases, lie down on the floor: there is usually a so-called neutral zone where there is practically no smoke, as it rises mainly upwards.

During a fire, you must not:

- panic;

- use the elevator (it may stop and turn into a deadly trap);

- open windows (the influx of oxygen will cause the fire to flare up even more);

- return to the house (whatever valuable items you left behind, life is more precious);

- run; if your clothes catch fire, you must throw a blanket over the burning person