Protecting people

The dangers associated with a fire include flames, radiant heat and flying sparks and embers moving ahead of a fire front.

People who are caught in a fire, or who have to fight fires as part of their job, have to protect themselves from flames, radiant heat and flying embers. Therefore, your final level of defence against fire is to know what you can do to protect yourself and others from fire. This includes when and how to evacuate people, and what to do if you are trapped in a fire, and how to fight fire on your own (if you have no other choice).

Below is a list of things you can do to protect yourself and others in the event of a fire:

What to do

1. Make plans for evacuation, including how you will leave, the route you will take if you are away from your home, and where you will stay.
2. Keep the direct telephone number of your local fire brigade handy. Preferably next to your telephone, or have it in your phone contacts and address book system.
3. In the event of an approaching fire, don't overwhelm national emergency services for information. It is better to contact your local fire brigade and check your fire alert app on your mobile phone to see if people are aware of the fire and what they advise you to do. You should also listen to the radio for news as you prepare to evacuate your home.
4. Evacuate people with disabilities or illnesses and the elderly well in advance. This will make it easier for others to evacuate later when they need to.
5. Attach metal identification tags to the collars of your dogs and cats. Put your cats and other pets in carry baskets so the RSPCA can look after them.
6. Evacuate pets as you would with your other family members. There are strict rules about not doing this and you could be prosecuted by the RSPCA.
7. On an extreme fire day, you should stay at home (for people living in or near the bush) instead of going to work. You won't be able to get back in time to protect your home if a fire is approaching.
8. If you are at home, turn on the sprinkler system if possible. Otherwise stay indoors until the fire has passed. In the meantime, block gutter pipes and fill the gutters with water, fill all baths, sinks and buckets with as much water as they can hold, place wet towels and blankets against gaps under doors and windows, close heavy curtains, and stay inside until the fire has passed. Use the water to put out spot fires in the roof cavity and elsewhere as needed.
9. Thoroughly water down the house on the side of the approaching fire.
10. If you are going to try to fight the fire yourself (after assessing the size of the fire situation as well as how prepared your property is to cope with a fire, and your own physical abilities and equipment available to fight a fire!), wear appropriate clothing. Use clothing made from natural fibres, such as wool or pure cotton. Never wear anything synthetic like nylon or polyester. You will probably feel coolest in cotton. Wool or cotton? When battling fires, it won't make a difference. Wool and pure cotton insulate well against the radiant heat of a fire and, therefore, don't burn as well as synthetic fibres such as nylon or polyester. Wear long cotton pants, long-sleeved shirt and leather boots (the safest of all footwear, as tennis shoes and rubber boots will simply melt and cause severe burns). Another must have is a pair of goggles to protect your eyes, a wide-brimmed hat held firmly on the head in windy conditions, a wet cotton handkerchief or scarf to cover your nose and mouth, a pair of leather gloves to protect your hands, a wet towel to tie around your neck, and a large bottle of water.
11. Drink plenty of water before, during and after fighting a serious fire. You can lose up to 2 litres of water every 2 hours on a hot day and even more when fighting a fire.
12. If you are caught in a bush fire and cannot escape, your best protection is to stay in your car or house (you have a better chance of surviving in your house than in your car). Close all windows. Get as much water inside the house by filling sinks and bathtubs, moisten the towels and cover gaps in doors and windows. Bring in a ladder and use it to check the roof cavity regularly and be prepared to put out some spot fires that may enter the house. Any fires started inside the house should be put out as soon as possible. Otherwise, lie as low as possible to the floor of the car to avoid the radiant heat coming from the fires. Finally, wait for the fire to pass over.
13. If, at any time, your clothes catch fire, you must stop whatever you are doing, drop to the ground, and roll in the dirt or floor to smother the flames.
14. If you are caught in a bush fire while driving, look for a clear area on the side of the road and make sure there are no trees next to you that might fall down when they burn. Areas clear of grass, bush and trees will reduce the intensity of the fire and help you to better survive the fire.
15. Never attempt to drive through an area of smoke or fire as this is a common cause of accidents occur and can put you and others in greater danger.
16. Turn on your headlights on so other people can see you.
17. Stay in the car as this is the best protection against radiant heat, the killer for most people trying to walk in the open.
18. Close the windows and air vents (or turn the air vents to recycle) in your car.
19. It takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute for the fire front to pass. Stay in your car during this time. In the meantime, make sure you have plenty of water in the car and drink it regularly to stay cool.
20. When the fire front has passed, inspect the car for damage. Check your surroundings to see if the fire is likely to make a come back a second time. If not, try to start your car and continue your escape.
21. Several hours after a fire front has passed, go outside and put out spot fires around your property. Also check again the roof cavity of your house to make sure that no flying embers have not entered and started a fire.
22. Fires can be started accidentally. So be careful how you use or dispose of heated items such as cigarette butts and burnt matches.
23. Avoid smoking in bed. Bed sheets and pyjamas have a habit of catching fire in the presence of hot cigarette ash when you suddenly fall asleep. Remember that most serious house fires occur when you are asleep or away from home.
24. Fires can also be started deliberately. People who start fires are usually those who have not experienced a bush fire up close and seen the damage it can cause to life and property. They usually have very little understanding of the consequences of their actions. This lack of consequence in their actions is common among young boys and some girls. However, some men may start fire deliberately. These are either the attention seekers or those who have a personal grudge against someone or the system and possibly from a low-social and economic environment. It is important that such people are properly supported, educated, given the direct experience and treated well if they are to properly understand their actions and to do the right thing for everyone. This is perhaps the only real long-term solution for those who may be disadvantaged in some way and feel that deliberately starting a fire is the only way to make themselves happy or achieve certain negative things in life.
25. Keep flammable onjects and matches out of the reach of children.