# House fire: Are you prepared?



## DaveNay

Bob's auto preparedness thread reminded me of a bad dream I had the other night.

Are you prepared for a house fire in the middle of winter?

*I AM NOT PREPARED!*

I literally woke up from a dead sleep the other night thinking about this.  Like many/most of our members, we live in the country.  It is more than 1/4 mile to our nearest neighbor.  I suddenly had a terrible nightmare of waking up from the smoke alarms and having to get the wife and baby out of a second floor bedroom window while dressed in my skivvies in sub zero weather (no emergency chain ladder either, so we would be jumping).  I then realized that if/once we escaped, what would we do?  I don't have any other heated structures on the property and don't have a stash of winter clothing to get dressed into.  I also don't normally bring my cell phone into the bedroom with me and the keys to the truck are hanging on a hook in the kitchen.  This would mean a walk to the neighbors in my boxers...not a high survival likelihood in that situation.  Most likely the baby would not fare well in that situation either within a matter of minutes.

Basically, we'd be _*SCREWED!*_


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## Doc

Interesting Dave.  I have thought of how we get out in case of a fire, but NEVER considered what if it was zero or below, what would we do?  I do keep a few old coats in my pole barn, and a blanket in the truck.  I would be able to get to all of that.  If I could get into the attached garage I have plenty of stuff there, but that would all depend on where the fire was.   My neighbors are closer than yours.  I have 4 in sight all 300 yards or so away.  
It sounds like clothing would be an imediate need for your family.  Might consider packing a bag with old clothes with a few other supplies and hanging it in the barn for quick access.


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## Mith

I always assumed that it would probably be quite warm next to a burning house.

I dont think it gets cold enough here that you wouldnt make it 1/4 mile, I've assumed that I could run 1/4 mile in less time than it takes me to get cold.


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## DaveNay

Mith said:


> I always assumed that it would probably be quite warm next to a burning house.
> 
> I dont think it gets cold enough here that you wouldnt make it 1/4 mile, I've assumed that I could run 1/4 mile in less time than it takes me to get cold.



Mith, on Thursday last week it was -31F (-34C) with 15MPH winds and 10" of powdery snow.  If you made it 1/4 mile in your boxers, you'd probably be severely frostbitten and with hypothermia.


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## DaveNay

Doc said:


> It sounds like clothing would be an imediate need for your family.  Might consider packing a bag with old clothes with a few other supplies and hanging it in the barn for quick access.



That is exactly what I am planning to do, plus a spare key for the truck (parked outside, not in attached garage).  Probably some cash and identification too.  Important documents are kept in a fireproof safe, but it would take a while before that is recovered.


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## Doc

Sounds good.  Plus I bet you'll get a emergency ladder so you don't have to jump from the 2nd floor.


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## EastTexFrank

I like these posts because, as I mentioned in Bob's thread, I am basically a good Boy Scout but you guys usually bring up something that I have overlooked or just not given enough thought to.

Now while I've got most things covered, especially for living in Texas, there are a couple of things that I need to revisit.  Access to keys for the vehicles is one.  Although easy to get to they are all inside the house.  I may need to rethink that one.  Also, while most of the important papers, or copies of them, are kept in a safe deposit box, there are some at the house.  They are all in one location and they should be easy to grab and run in an emergency, but it would be better if they were in a small, fireproof safe or container of some kind.  

I've got 3 outside faucets and a water well, but I've often toyed with the idea of getting a 1-1/2" or 2" high pressure water pump/semi-trash pump that I could drop into the pool in an absolute emergency to start wetting things down while waiting for the fire department to arrive.  Again, I may have to reassess that need.  Besides, it would be useful to have for other "stuff".


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## DaveNay

EastTexFrank said:


> I've got 3 outside faucets and a water well, but I've often toyed with the idea of getting a 1-1/2" or 2" high pressure water pump/semi-trash pump that I could drop into the pool in an absolute emergency to start wetting things down while waiting for the fire department to arrive.  Again, I may have to reassess that need.  Besides, it would be useful to have for other "stuff".


Forget that...if everyone is out and safe, then just let the place burn to the a pile of glowing coals in the basement.  The last thing I want is for the insurance company to say "we can clean it up and repair the damage".  I want a new structure.


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## The Tourist

Yes, we are prepared now.

On our last security upgrade, we added fire, smoke, carbon monoxide and breaking glass.

We also added an "auric sensor" outside to monitor for junk jewelry in the possibility of a home invasion.


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## BoneheadNW

First off, while it might sound like common sense, working smoke alarms are your first line of defense.  You would not believe how many people, either willingly or without knowing, have faulty (or no) smoke alarms.  I would say I average 1 false alarm (commercial or residential) per shift, but that is part of the job.  People are always embarrassed to have the fire dept. come marching through their house, but we don't mind.

Next, the important thing is for the whole family to have a plan.  Escape routes, keeping low, feeling the door before you open it, etc.  Chain ladders are a great means of egress out of a second story window, but you wouldn't want to do it the first time in the middle of the night in your undies.

Finally, and his is one that never occurs to people, make sure the fire dept. can get down your driveway.  I live in an area with many big trees.  Just last week we had a house fire down a long, windy road, and the driveway was nearly impassable for our engine.  The farther the engine has to stop from your house, the longer it will take to put the fire out or, more importantly, to get equipment in to perform a rescue.
Bonehead


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## BoneheadNW

One more thing, I don't know about houses in your area, but many homes here are set away from the road on long, sometimes multiple-home driveways.  Many of these houses do not have address signs posted at the street.  While some fires are obvious from a distance, there have been times when we have gone down the wrong driveway due to the lack of, or inaccurate, addressing.
Bonehead


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## RNE228

BoneheadNW said:


> One more thing, I don't know about houses in your area, but many homes here are set away from the road on long, sometimes multiple-home driveways. Many of these houses do not have address signs posted at the street. While some fires are obvious from a distance, there have been times when we have gone down the wrong driveway due to the lack of, or inaccurate, addressing.
> Bonehead


 
I'll second this. Make sure your house/property is CLEARLY marked. And, your street/road too. 

It is not just to find your house for a fire. It may be a medical emergency or other issue.

Remember, emergency services at 4am on a dark foggy, snowy, windy(etc etc etc) night. It is hard enough to find some streets and addresses on a nice sunny afternoon, much less under bad conditions.

I have been out where we had multiple units converging on a call, coming from different directions becuase the streets and or address were not displayed, or very hard to see/find.

You do not want that happening when someone goes down, CPR is in progress, and you really really need help.


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## RNE228

BoneheadNW said:


> First off, while it might sound like common sense, working smoke alarms are your first line of defense. You would not believe how many people, either willingly or without knowing, have faulty (or no) smoke alarms. Bonehead


 
Thank you! Every time I mention this, in a "Public Service" post, Gatorboy busts my chops. "It'll chirp, or it's a waste of batteries, or they should be smart enough to test them..."

I hear of too many people dying in fires, through the media, and through internal FD memo's.

Smoke detectors:
- Should be checked for operation regularily
- some need to be cleaned periodically
- need batteries replaced(in our area, all the local FD's push to do this at the spring/fall time change
- Most detectors have a finite life, and should be replaced every 5-10 years, depending on manufacturer recomendations

In our district we'll even come out for a "Public Assist" to show you how to test them or replace batteries.


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## jwstewar

I don't know if we are ready, but I know I don't want to go through it again. Just glad we weren't home when the first one happened. I know there are some things we need to do to get better prepared in case God forbid it should happen again.

I know we need to get some of the escape ladders, though, all three upstairs bedrooms could get to a first floor room to have a "safer" drop.

In some ways we wouldn't be as well off as we were before. My pole barn now runs from a meter base attached to the house as opposed to freestanding before. Now I couldn't get power to it as quick (I only was with out power 10 minutes before). Our garage was detached before (and we weren't at home) so our cars were safe, but if it were to happen now, we would lose 2 of our 3 vehicles as they are parked in the attached garage.

As far as a quick place to go, we would have our camper there which is unlocked. The battery would be charge (it stays plugged in to the barn all of the time) so that would run the furnace for a few hours. As a matter of fact, we used this as a bathroom during the fire.....uh, oh.....just a thought. I haven't dumped the holding tank since then. That is going to be pretty rank since it has been about 16 months.....


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## RNE228

BoneheadNW said:


> Finally, and his is one that never occurs to people, make sure the fire dept. can get down your driveway. I live in an area with many big trees. Just last week we had a house fire down a long, windy road, and the driveway was nearly impassable for our engine. The farther the engine has to stop from your house, the longer it will take to put the fire out or, more importantly, to get equipment in to perform a rescue.
> Bonehead


 
Most people do not think about this till they have an emergency, or are trying to get a concrete truck to come out.

Fire engines, Water Tenders, and many Medic units are large vehicles. 

Although a car or pickup may easily fit down a driveway, the drive may be too narrow, too short vertically(typically tree branches), or have too tight of curves/turns to manuever a Fire Engine down. 

It's a bear moving a gurney in bad weather down a drive because the medic unit can not get to the house. It's dangerous, for the patient and the crews. 

The first in Engine usually get "stripped". All the ladders, tools, blowers, salvage covers, hose, breathing apparatus, air bottles, box flashlights, shovels, axes, rubbage hooks, pike poles etc etc get taken off and used. 

The farther all that gear has to go, the harder it is. And, the Engine pumping remotely makes it a little bit harder too. It is much nicer to pump water when you can see the scene, know where hoses are going, and what crew is on what line.


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## bczoom

RNE228 said:


> - Most detectors have a finite life, and should be replaced every 5-10 years, depending on manufacturer recomendations


So if you're like me and use those type, when you get them new, on the inside of the cover, write:
Installed on: (month/year)
Expires on:  (month/year)

When they're coming due, start looking in the box store for a replacement pack.  When bundled/sold in packages of 10, the price is very reasonable.


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## OhioTC18 RIP

We may not be prepared as much as I'd like to be. Now you have me thinking.

The engines probably can't get in my driveway, but they wouldn't anyway. They'd just block the road. There is a hydrant right across the road from the house. The house is 170' of the road.

I did do one thing this summer to help out in a medical emergency. I had a new sidewalk put in. We had 12 or so 6'X6' "terraces" made out of brick trimmed in landscape timbers. Eventually the bricks sank a bit which left the timbers as a toe catcher. I've been taken out of here twice on a gurney and needless to say the guys had to carry it out. Now all they have to do is get me out of the house and give it a good shove. I'll meet them at the driveway. I also made it 36" wide. Hope I never need to use it for that again, but it's there just in case.
AND I don't have to use my weedeater my sidewalk anymore


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## BoneheadNW

OhioTC18 said:


> We may not be prepared as much as I'd like to be. Now you have me thinking.
> 
> The engines probably can't get in my driveway, but they wouldn't anyway. They'd just block the road. There is a hydrant right across the road from the house. The house is 170' of the road.
> 
> I did do one thing this summer to help out in a medical emergency. I had a new sidewalk put in. We had 12 or so 6'X6' "terraces" made out of brick trimmed in landscape timbers. Eventually the bricks sank a bit which left the timbers as a toe catcher. I've been taken out of here twice on a gurney and needless to say the guys had to carry it out. Now all they have to do is get me out of the house and give it a good shove. I'll meet them at the driveway. I also made it 36" wide. Hope I never need to use it for that again, but it's there just in case.
> AND I don't have to use my weedeater my sidewalk anymore


Hydrants are great, but the further from your house the engine needs to be will cost valuable time stretching hoses, bringing equipment (ladders, tools, etc.).  Since many of the homes around here are down narrow driveways, we are set up with 2 200' pre-connected hoses in the front of our engines.  Most departments have these set up on the side of their engines.  Your 170' driveway leaves very little hose to use inside your home.  Maybe the fire dept in your area uses a different set up.
Bonehead


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## NorthernRedneck

I keep an extra set of keys for each vehicle in the garage.  For clothing and such, We've always got a bunch of clothing in the camper.  Before storing it for the winter, I make sure we each have a winter jacket in there just in case.

I know first hand about fires and losing everything.  When I worked with the mentaly and physically challenged, one of the houses caught fire.  We had to scramble to make sure they had clothing and such.  I wasn't working at the time the fire happened but we were the first ones on the scene as the house was only 3 doors down from my place and we were coming home when we saw the flames and smoke rising.  everyone made it out okay but the worker at the time had burns on her arms.  Not fun to deal with something like that.


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## OhioTC18 RIP

Bonehead I don't know what they have set up on the trucks around here. All of the homes here have driveways that would be hard for an engine to get into. But I've had a 5000 gallon water tanker in the drive to fill the pool. I'm 1.2 miles from the firehouse. 
Four things I looked for when I bought this house. Grocery, Interstate access, Hospital location and Firehouse/EMS service.


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## RNE228

We practiced that at last training. In this case, pull 3.5" hose to near the front of the house/fire.  We carry 100' lateral packs with nozzle and gated wye. That gets us one line off a gated wye. Second crew pulls/removes a 200 preconnect off the engine cross-lay(or brings a lat pack from another engine), and attaches to the second outlet on the gated wye. 

Takes time though, compared to just pulling the crosslay on the engine right at the scene. And that, is just getting water to the building. That does not count, as you mention, ladders, tools etc.



BoneheadNW said:


> Hydrants are great, but the further from your house the engine needs to be will cost valuable time stretching hoses, bringing equipment (ladders, tools, etc.).  Since many of the homes around here are down narrow driveways, we are set up with 2 200' pre-connected hoses in the front of our engines.  Most departments have these set up on the side of their engines.  Your 170' driveway leaves very little hose to use inside your home.  Maybe the fire dept in your area uses a different set up.
> Bonehead


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## jwstewar

Don't forget, after the fire is over, the thing you need the most. An inventory of everything you had. I mean EVERYTHING. Be it your wife's $20,000 diamond necklace to how many Hot Wheel cars your son has. Trust me, we were there and done that. You can't remember everything. Try to keep a list physical list of everything. When/where and how much stuff was purchased. For electronics & appliances keep model/serial numbers. The other thing to do is take your camcorder and do a one continous shot walk around of your entire house. Keep it off site - along with the inventory file (and a program to run it if you used something besides Office).

Along those same lines, if you have a bunch of jewelry, make sure you schedule it with your insurance company. Most policies have a $2500 - 5000 limit unless you schedule. You aren't buying much jewelry for that kind of money.

Just speaking from experience from someone that has been there done that and burned by it - no pun intended.


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## RNE228

Another thing that we see out here in the foothills outside Sacramento... private roads. Some private roads are narrow 1 lane things that are often not kept clear of brush. 

While we(FD) may in fact go up the road to a house fire or medic emergency, things change in the summer. If there is a wild fire, some of those roads are just too dangerous to be stuck on with brush fire surrounding you. There are times, when it its just too dangerous to put crews in a bad situation to start with.


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## Chetdb

Another thing to think about with fire is your food storage. Fruit jars and fire equals glass shrapnel.


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## muleman RIP

The need for clearly marked address and good cleared roads are a major player in timely response to fire and medical emergencies. I have a Hi-Vis Number mounted on a post at my road. My mailbox is a large one with name and number in 2" letters as well as reflectors on both sides. My road is wide enough you can pass 10 wheelers on it and has a good enough base to support 80,000 lbs. I also make it a point to know my local firefighters and EMS folks. MY health does not allow me to be a member anymore but having been a tanker driver for a local FD for a number of years I can tell you good signs and good roads are very important. I also ran rescue truck and many times valuable minutes were lost looking for properties with no markings on mailboxes. Pa. passed a law requiring a Hi-Vis number at least 3in. size but local officials never enforce it. We even sponsored a number handout and most folks did not come and get them. Cost of a beer or two could save a life.


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## XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

muleman said:


> The need for clearly marked address and good cleared roads are a major player in timely response to fire and medical emergencies. I have a Hi-Vis Number mounted on a post at my road. My mailbox is a large one with name and number in 2" letters as well as reflectors on both sides. My road is wide enough you can pass 10 wheelers on it and has a good enough base to support 80,000 lbs. I also make it a point to know my local firefighters and EMS folks. MY health does not allow me to be a member anymore but having been a tanker driver for a local FD for a number of years I can tell you good signs and good roads are very important. I also ran rescue truck and many times valuable minutes were lost looking for properties with no markings on mailboxes. Pa. passed a law requiring a Hi-Vis number at least 3in. size but local officials never enforce it. We even sponsored a number handout and most folks did not come and get them. Cost of a beer or two could save a life.



Around here, the FD just comes around and puts the numbers on your property if you haven't done it.  I wish I had nice new numbers like some of my neighbors.


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## bczoom

muleman said:


> Pa. passed a law requiring a Hi-Vis number at least 3in. size but local officials never enforce it. We even sponsored a number handout and most folks did not come and get them. Cost of a beer or two could save a life.


Our township did it.  Then some kids stole mine.  Two Guns made me a new one that's a real attention getter.


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## muleman RIP

bczoom said:


> Our township did it.  Then some kids stole mine.  Two Guns made me a new one that's a real attention getter.


Let's see it.


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## bczoom

The blue, white and red all glow in the dark, A LOT.

1" angle iron which is lag-bolted to the tree.

Cable through the angle iron, around the tree and cable clamped together.


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## BigAl RIP

bczoom said:


> The blue, white and red all glow in the dark, A LOT.
> 
> 1" angle iron which is* lag-bolted to the tree.*


 
 TREE KILLER!!!!!!


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## bczoom

You don't even know the 1/2 of it Allen... That tree has taken so much abuse but is strong as ever.
Let's back up the picture a little...
Hmmm, concrete storm catch basin to its left.  Roots probably didn't like that.
Dig out on the near side and to the right for driveway.  Roots probably didn't like that.
Repetitive pruning of any branches under 8' so we have visibility and don't scratch the vehicles.
It's the recipient of everything the town snowplow throws at it _including my garbage cans_
Thankfully it's not the recipient of road salt.  They don't use it around here and I don't put it on the driveway.


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## buckle97

bczoom said:


> Two Guns made me a new one that's a real attention getter.


 
That is a nice number sign.
Does your mail carrier just lay your mail where the mailbox should be  ?


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## muleman RIP

Why do you have a different number on the post? Do you think because the mailbox is missing the bills won't come?


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## bczoom

The mailbox post with no mailbox...  The mailbox was smashed off by late night pranksters.  The new mailbox is now behind the picture taker.  It's built whereby any kid that comes through with a bat will now break their hand or arm before taking out the box.  

As for the different number on the post, they came through a few years back (when they wanted these new signs put out) and renumbered all our houses.  Our old was 257B.  Well, the land we're on was a farm that was subdivided years ago.  Each parcel (5-10 acres) got a letter added.  So, I actually had 257B & 257C.  I left it up until everyone (e.g. UPS) got used to the new numbers.  It's gone now.


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## muleman RIP

Time for a timely bump for this thread. I just checked and cleaned all the extinguishers today. For dry powder it is a good idea to turn them over a few times to make sure the powder is still loose inside. Check the gauge and pull pin for easy operation and mentally review how to properly use it. On the next trip out your road look for overhead obstacles and see how visible your house number is at night. Time spent now could save your life.


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## RNE228

This was a timely bump. A lot of good information in the original posts. 

One thing I did over the last year, is add an auto gate opener. We have remotes, and it has a key pad at the gate. 

What I did not get, was a low security key system. My "Mighty Mule" gate opener works with them. This is the key the Fire Dept, EMS, or SO would carry. In our area, you have to go thru the FD to get the lock box. 

Does not help to put a gate opener up, and effectively lock out fire/EMS/LEO...


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## pirate_girl

I am prepared.
I have all important documents kept in a fireproof box.
Escape door right next to the bedroom where Gretch and I sleep.
Smoke alarm and smoke detector working fine.
The fire extinguisher is right under the kitchen cupboard.
The trunk of the car is filled with other survival gear.
If this place ever catches on fire, I've been told it'll only take 5 minutes to burn to the ground from start to finish, so yes.. I am prepared.


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## Garmins_Dad

A bump for a good thread.. everyone should refresh this in their mind where the important paper work is.


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## muleman RIP

And trim your dang trees back. Change the batteries when the time changes. I would sooner have 7 detectors going off than wake up on fire.


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