Don’t be a safety snob
A fire evacuation drill was carried out in a high- rise condominium. Only a trickle showed up although most residents sent their kasambahay.
Why does safety of residents fall on deaf ears? Don’t they realize that staying alive is dependent on how quick their response is and how familiar they are with evacuation procedures? They should not entrust these to their kasambahay, no matter how caring and well-intentioned they are.
Actual situations and factors are so much different from (just reading) circulars and (watching) film clips on the subject. For example:
• When exiting down the emergency stairs, I realized how important it was for me to hold on to the handrail, mind my steps and move in a swift, determined pace without losing my balance. (I thought the closest emergency exit was next to the service elevator. Wrong! It was in fact, next to my unit.)
• What if the resident is frail and disabled? How will he get down? His family has to take full charge. He must piggyback on strong-muscled relatives and staff or be brought down on a stretcher that could significantly slow down the evacuation.
• Every house must keep a red-coded, multipurpose fire extinguisher. It should be placed in a visible corner, easily accessible to all. If fire breaks out, there are six steps to follow:
The cylinder has a round protruding pin. 1) Turn it to the right (or left) to break its plastic seal; 2) release the pin; 3) pull out a black hose attached to the cylinder and hold it by the nose; 4) carry the cylinder and stand at a safe distance from the fire; 5) squeeze the handle to release a burst of foam; 6) Move the hose from side-to-side, aiming it at the base of the fire until the flame is put off.
The red cylinder weighs 10 lbs. Feel that weight on your arm. If you’ve never carried a cylinder or used the nozzle, ask someone experienced to take over. You must have the knowledge to use it properly and this can only happen if you’ve been personally trained, have actually carried the cylinder, and have fired it (excuse the pun).
• Keep some evacuation essentials that you can wear around your neck: 1) a whistle, 2) a portable mini flashlight; 3) a filter mask before hazardous smoke begins to float in the area; 4) a water-proof tube where you can insert cash, keys, and medicine.
• If time permits, change to a jogging outfit, wear rubber shoes and a strong headgear (helmet), and carry a hand towel. Tip: Keep these items next to your bed, next to a knapsack (containing a change of clothes, underwear, biscuits, a bottle of water, prescribed medicine, dry cell battery, and portable radio).
• Always evacuate in tandem. You look out for each other until you both reach safety, much like deep-sea divers keep diving buddies.
• Assign or designate a safe area away from the chaos where you can all meet up, just in case you’ve been separated during the evacuation.
• If you’ve managed to get down safely, leave the area immediately. Do not loiter or linger out of curiosity or worse, to see and be seen.
I lost my cousin, her husband, and my niece in a fire that burned down the ancestral house. The LPG cooking gas in the kitchen exploded and quickly ignited the ground floor like an inferno. They were trapped on the second level, initially impervious to the combustion because of soundproof, air-conditioned bedrooms. There was no alternative escape because the newly-installed grilled windows had no panels that could be opened in case of emergency. (Alas, the panels were to be welded the day the fire broke out.)
The firefighters recovered the burnt pacemaker that my cousin wore and the remains of three figures huddled together.
Another friend kept sulô or torch poles lit even after his guests left. A gust of wind toppled the poles over, spilling the oil and causing a plume of fire to explode. The flame rose and engulfed the ground floor. My friend was trapped upstairs. In blind panic, he grappled for the key to unlock the grilled window but failed. His blackened remains were found in the bathtub together with that of his mother.
Lives were lost on account of fire. They hit closer to home if the fatalities were cherished relatives and friends. Don’t wait for noxious smoke and ash to rain down your face. Participate in emergency drills. The important lessons learned could save your life and that of others.