If Trapped by a Fire

Excuses Kill Poster

If you are trapped by a fire in your home try to stay calm and raise the alarm. If possible get everyone together in one
room with a phone or an opening window and call the Fire and Rescue Service or shout to alert people.

If you are higher than the ground floor, do not climb out of the window. Use bedding or clothing to block the bottom
of the door and stop some of the smoke from getting into the room.

The Fire and Rescue Service should be with you in 4-5 minutes and the door should hold back the fire for 15 minutes.
Stay together in the room close to an open window if possible until you are rescued.

If it becomes unbearable in the room and you feel you have to get out, open the window as wide a possible, or if it
does not open smash it using something sharp in the corner, then drop small soft things like clothing out to cushion
your landing. Do not jump;

Look out of the window

Lean - over to make sure nothing is in the way

Lower - yourself from the window sill to reduce the drop.

If theres a fire, you need to act quickly. Make sure you are prepared and that everyone in your house knows
exactly what to do.

Alert everyone

Make sure everyone in the house knows about the fire shout and get everyone together.

Get everyone out

You should have an escape route planned that everyone in your house is familiar with. If you dont have one already,
follow the link below for information on how to make an escape plan for your home. As you escape, remember:

dont delay to save valuables or look for pets

dont investigate the fire

crawl on the floor if theres smoke - the air is cleaner near the floor, so put your nose as low as possible;
remember - smoke is poisonous and can kill you

as you go out, only open the doors you need to and close any open doors you can to slow the spread of the
fire

before you open doors, feel them with the back of your hand; if theyre warm, dont open them the fire is
on the other side

if youre escaping with others, stay together if you can

Make an escape plan for your home

If your clothes catch fire

dont run around you will fan the flames and make them burn faster
 lie down - this makes it harder for the fire to spread and reduces the effect of flames on your face and head
(flames burn upwards)

smother the flames - cover the flames with heavy material, like a coat or blanket; this blocks the fire's source
of oxygen

roll around rolling smothers the flames

When you can't get out by your escape route

If your escape route is blocked:

if youre on the ground floor, go out of a window throw bedding or cushions onto the ground outside to
break your fall

if you cant open the window, use a heavy object to break it at the bottom corner cover any jagged edges
with clothing, a towel or a blanket

lower children as far as possible before letting them drop get an adult to break their fall if you can

lower yourself by your arms from the window ledge before dropping

If you cant get out, get everyone into one room:

choose a room with a window, if you can

put cushions, towels or bedding at the bottom of the door to block smoke

open the window and call for help

think now about which room might be best for this you need a window that can be opened and, if possible,
a phone for calling 999

Call 999

Once youre out and safe, use a mobile phone, a neighbours phone, or a phone box to provide the emergency
services with the address (999 calls are free).

give your whole address, including the town

tell them what is on fire (for example, a two-storey house)

explain if anyone is trapped and what room theyre in the more information you can give the Fire and
Rescue Service, the more quickly and effectively they can help you

Don't go back in

You should find somewhere safe to wait near the building. If there's someone still inside, wait for the Fire and Rescue
Service to arrive. You can tell them about the person and they will be able to find them quicker than you. If you go
back into the building, you will slow down the fire-fighters' efforts to rescue anyone else missing, as well as putting
your own life in great danger.

What to do if you live in a high-rise flat

If you live in a block of flats, you will need to consider that a fire could start directly outside your flat, or in the
stairwell. Follow the link below to information on planning an escape - it includes specific guidance for plans for high-
rises. If a fire starts in your flat or the stairwell and you cant get out:
 get everyone into a room with a window; put cushions, bedding, or clothes around the bottom of the door to
block smoke

open the window - if you feel in serious danger, wave a sheet out of the window so the fire-fighters know
you're there

if the fire is directly outside your flat, seal your front door with tape if you can, as well as using bedding or
clothes close any ventilators and phone 999, giving the number of your flat

if your front door becomes hot, wet it down

if smoke starts to enter your flat, stay down low below the level of smoke and lie on the floor as close to an
open window as possible

How to react to a robber in your home

Listen attentively
Its important to hear what the intruder is up to. Can you hear multiple footsteps? Is the person talking to
someone with them or on the phone? Are they heading towards you? This will help you understand what you
are up against.

Do not move and stay put

If you are inside a room try and lock the door. Do so with little or no sound. Dont switch the lights on or off
as doing so may give away your presence.

Set off an alarm

If you have an alarm that sounds off within your home, then use it. If you have a panic alarm with remote
monitoring, trigger it. If you have neither of these, then use your car alarm. (Keep your car key on your
bedside table at night).

Be silent
Silence is your best friend as screaming out to warn them that youre calling the police or that you have a
weapon and will shoot, will only cause them to panic. If the intruders get panicked, they could harm you out
of fear of being caught.

Use your phone

Call the police and inform them of the intruder and give them your address. Do not tell them which room
you are hiding in. This is crucial if you are using a landline with an extension in another part of the house.
Always ensure your cell phone is charged, especially when heading to bed at night. Dont forget to put your
cell on silent and on vibrate mode either.

Act decisively
If you are certain of an escape route that takes you out safely and without detection, then escape. Dont try
and gather other family members to escape if they are in different rooms. If you escape, you can be of help
to the authorities when they arrive.

If you and the family are all together in a room, then barricade yourself inside if escaping is not an option.
Do so by moving heavy furniture near the door to jam it closed.

Look out
Dont open the door and walk out from wherever you are hiding. You may not hear a sound for a while or
you may think youve heard them move away from where you are but that could be a ploy. Look through the
door crack (peepholes are advisable) to try and spot someone and if you cant, then play it by ear.
Its always best to stay put for as long as you can even if that means an hour after theyve gone. Its better to
be safe than sorry.

Wait in hiding
If youve managed to call the police or been able to trigger the panic alarm then wait for the authorities. Do
not come out of your hiding spot until they are onsite and you are able to identify them.

What if you cant hide and are found by the intruders?

Stay away
Avoid being close to the intruder; stay in a corner but dont turn your back on the intruder and avoid any sort
of confrontation.

Cooperate
Do what you are told to. Stay calm because any sudden movements could trigger a deadly response from the
intruder. Understand what they want; if all they are after is your valuables then let them take it. If they ask
you where your safe is, tell them. You dont want to put yourself or your family in harms way to protect
material possessions.

How to answer your phone

If you have an intrusion system with remote monitoring, you can expect to receive a call.

Dont answer it unless the intruder permits you to. What you say at this moment is critical. A prearranged
distress code should be used that would trigger a response from them.

Dont be aggressive
While its important not to appear weak, its equally risky to appear aggressive. A medal for bravery issued
posthumously is no good to your loved ones. Also, you must always assume the intruder has back-up
support.

What to do when the robbers have gone?

Report the incident

If you werent able to do so when the intruders were on your premises do so now. The police report will be
required for any insurance claims. Inform your insurer and be available when they conduct their survey.

Spend the night away

Once the authorities have done their work you may consider spending the night with friends and family or
even at a hotel. People react differently; there will be fear, anxiety or sheer outrage from feeling violated.
Lock up the house when leaving.

List lost items

Make a list of all that has been lost. Cash, credit cards, phones, passports, IDs, gadgets everything you can
remember. For credit cards and phone immediately block them by calling the bank and mobile company. For
passports and IDs make sure you have it listed in the police report to ensure no misuse.

Check the house

You want to know how the intruder came in: was it through the door, a window or what? Immediately fix the
weaknesses and dont forget to change the door locks.

Get a medical assessment

If you or any member of the household was roughed up then have them medically assessed. If in the short or
long term you see a change in the demeanour of the family, especially children, you should consider seeking
professional help as well.

What to do when a dog chases you:

1. Stare down at the dog before he really starts making his move, even if you have to slow down
and/or walk backwards.

2. Make an effort to move away from his turf or his owner so that he doesnt feel as threatened while
you are asserting your dominance, which is what you are doing in step number 1. Move slowly; you
want to discourage the dog from chasing you, and not give it a new game.

3. Talk to the dog and try to calm it down. I will usually say, Good puppy or something like that in
a soothing voice to try to calm the dog down and show that I am not a threat. It probably helps that I
have a deep voice.

4. If he makes a break for you, stop and bring your hands, arms and legs in towards your body. If
you are a man, put your hands in front of your crotch so that the dog can not bite you there. You want
your body to be in a straight line so that there is nothing hanging off of you for the dog to attack and
grab hold of. Many dogs are just friendly want to play with you or check you out; I dont assume that
the dog going to bite me until it does, but I also do not want to make it easier for the dog to injure
me.

5. If you are bit by the dog, kick it in the head. If you can, try to kick it below its muzzle on its chin
as that will cause the most pain while being the least likely to permanently injure the dog. The goal is
to give it one good lick that will teach it not to bite runners in the future and hopefully confusing or
hurting it enough to leave you alone in the present. Get away from the dog, and call the game warden
or your local sheriff at the first possible convenience.

6. Start moving away or continue your run depending upon whether the dog just wants to sniff you or
is being playful or is still threatening to bite. Unless you were bit, do not move too fast until there is
some distance between you and the dog. You can probably out run a dog over the long haul, but in a
sprint you are all too likely to lose.

Photo by James CharronWhen I am confronted by a dog, I do not want to hurt it. If I am attacked, though, I
will do what I have to in order to protect myself. It is not the dogs fault if it attacks you; it is the dogs
owners fault. A dog should not be let to run loose in a settled area without supervision; in many places that
is illegal.

If a dog chases you off of its property, then you should call the sheriff or game warden even if it does not
bite you. The owner will probably get upset with you no matter what happens, but if they have been served a
warning to keep their dog under control then there is a slim chance that they might actually put it on a leash
or stand outside with it to keep it under control. This will make the dog less likely to hurt a runner or a
passing child or anybody else, and it will also protect the dog from getting hurt by traffic.

If you are bit by a dog, and it breaks your skin, then you should probably go to the emergency room and
make sure that you are up to date on any vaccinations and shots that you might need, as well as to patch up
any tears that you can not treat yourself at home. Rabies is not the only thing that you would need to worry
about, and in fact is probably unlikely, but the treatment right after you are bit is much less painful than the
treatment that you would get if you gave yourself time to succumb to the infection.

What others do when a dog chases you:

My method is not the only way of dealing with dogs, and it may not even be the best method. Here are some
other methods that people I know have tried to varying degrees of success:

1. Run away as fast as possible. I am not a fan of this method, as it only encourages the dog to chase
you. If you have enough of a lead, then you might be able to get far enough away that it will give up
and go home, but I do not really trust my sprinting abilities that much.

2. Carry mace or pepper spray. Mace or pepper spray can be useful not only against dogs but also
against two-legged assailants. I do not like carrying anything more on a run then I have to, though,
and 99% of the time I do not get chased. Another problem that weapons pose are that they can be
used against you, and are really only useful if you want to hurt something. I prefer not to hurt the dog
until it has definitively shown me that I am in danger.

3. Throw an imaginary rock. I have never tried this, but I have heard a few people use this method.
Maintain eye contact with the dog and reach down to the ground for a rock, even if there isnt one
there. Stand up, cock your arm, and make a throwing motion at the dog. Supposedly, this will usually
scare the dog away. If it doesnt, though, then you are only teaching the dog that he doesnt have to
be afraid of you, and may encourage him to attack you. I have never tried this, though.

4. Yell, clap your hands, and stomp your feet. While I have on occasion yelled to make a noise and
startle the dog, I have had less success compared to trying to use a soothing voice. The problem with
clapping your hands or stomping your feet is that it provides a target for the animal and might
encourage it to jump on you if it isnt startled away.

My dog history

I have been chased by numerous dogs before. Sometimes, the dog will want to run with me, and even had
one keep up for about 9 or 10 miles. I had to drive it home, since there was a river and a few bridges in
between the end of our run and the dogs home.

Usually, the dog is only trying to protect its home or its owner, and is satisfied when I leave them both in
peace and move away. My run might slow down for the 20 seconds it takes to pass a driveway, but otherwise
we both manage to get along just fine.

Photo by Lance McCordNow and again, a dog will really want to play and be friendly, but it is hard to tell
the difference sometimes between a dog tearing after you to play and dog chasing you to hunt. I have also
been bitten by a dog before when it wanted to play, and it obviously was not trying to hurt me so I just let it
be. He was just overly excited and his owner had slipped on the ice and lost control of him.

And a couple of times, I have been bit. When I lived in Connecticut, there was a dog that chased me any
time that it was outside when I ran by. I was in my teens and it had not yet occurred to me that I could call
the game warden to control the animal. After it had chased me perhaps 8 or 9 times, it managed to catch up
to me once before I was far enough away from its house for it to lose interest, and it bit my leg. That was the
first time (of only twice) that I have felt a need to kick the dog. It yelped and ran away, and it never bothered
me again.
The second time I was attacked by a dog and felt a need to kick it, the dog bit at my hip through my winter
running clothes and clawed at my legs. Thankfully, I had full length pants on. The owner threatened to call
the police on me when I had the gall to kick his dog when the dog ran out of his yard, ran across the street,
and attacked me. I told him to go ahead and kept moving, and then called the police a few minutes later
when I got home.

That guy gave me the evil eye every time I ran by and he was outside after that, but he always grabbed his
dog when he saw me coming. Unfortunately, I think he only controlled the dog when he saw me coming,
because about a year and a half later the dog had to be put down when it attacked a kid on a bicycle. It was
not the dogs fault, but I guarantee that the dogs owner still has not taken responsibility for what happened.

That was a lone occurrence, though, and the vast majority of my interactions with dogs while I have been
running have been friendly or at least brief and uneventful. Most domesticated dogs will not attack you,
especially if you do not give them a reason to.

Have you ever been chased or attacked by a dog? What have you done to protect yourself, and how effective
was it? Do you have any good tips that I can add to my list above?