Fire Emergency Response

Homeowner Summary

A home fire can go from a small flame to a fully engulfed room in less than 3 minutes. You have approximately 2-3 minutes to evacuate once a smoke alarm sounds — not enough time to search for valuables, gather belongings, or fight a fire that has grown beyond the size of a wastebasket. Every year, home fires kill approximately 2,600 people and injure 11,000 more in the United States. The vast majority of fire deaths occur in homes without working smoke alarms or in homes where occupants did not have an escape plan.

Two things save lives in a fire: working smoke alarms and a practiced escape plan. Smoke alarms give you the warning. An escape plan gives you the action. Together, they reduce your risk of dying in a fire by more than 80%. Every family should have a written escape plan with two exits from every room and a designated outdoor meeting point, and should practice it at least twice per year — including at least one nighttime drill (most fatal fires occur between 11 PM and 7 AM when occupants are sleeping).

Knowing how to use a fire extinguisher on small fires, understanding why you never put water on a grease fire, and recognizing when to fight a fire versus when to evacuate are critical life skills that every adult in your household should possess.

IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY ACTIONS

Evacuation (Priority One — Always)

1. When a smoke alarm sounds or you discover a fire: GET OUT. Do not stop to investigate, gather belongings, or assess the situation. Every second counts
2. Feel doors before opening. Use the back of your hand on the door and doorknob. If hot, do NOT open — fire is on the other side. Use your secondary exit (window)
3. Stay low. Smoke and toxic gases rise. Crawl on hands and knees where air is cleaner and cooler. In heavy smoke, crawl with your face 12-24 inches from the floor
4. Follow your escape plan. Go to the nearest exit. If blocked, use the alternate exit
5. Close doors behind you as you leave each room. A closed door can hold back fire and smoke for several minutes — this saves lives
6. Go directly to your designated meeting point outside (mailbox, large tree, neighbor's house). Account for all household members
7. Call 911 from outside. Use a cell phone or a neighbor's phone. Give the address, state "house fire," and report whether anyone is still inside
8. NEVER re-enter a burning building. Not for pets, not for valuables, not for people. Tell firefighters who/what is still inside — they have the training and equipment to go in

If You Are Trapped

1. Close the door between you and the fire
2. Seal the gap under the door with towels, blankets, or clothing to block smoke
3. Call 911 and tell them your exact location in the house (floor, room, front/back)
4. Go to a window. Open it (if not smoky outside) and signal for help
5. If you must jump: Only from 1st or 2nd floor. Toss bedding/cushions below to cushion your landing. Lower yourself from the window ledge to reduce the fall height. Children first (adults catch), then adults
6. Wave a light-colored cloth from the window to signal firefighters

If Your Clothes Catch Fire

STOP, DROP, and ROLL:

1. STOP — do not run (running fans the flames)
2. DROP — drop to the ground immediately
3. ROLL — roll back and forth to smother the flames. Cover your face with your hands while rolling
4. Cool burns with cool (not ice) water. Remove clothing from burned area unless stuck to skin. Call 911

Fire Extinguisher: PASS Method

Only attempt to fight a fire with an extinguisher if ALL of the following are true:

• The fire is small (wastebasket size or smaller)
• You have a clear escape route behind you
• You have the correct type of extinguisher
• You have already called 911 or someone else is calling
• The room is not filling with smoke

PASS technique:

1. P — Pull the pin (breaks the tamper seal)
2. A — Aim the nozzle at the BASE of the fire (not the flames — the base where fuel meets air)
3. S — Squeeze the handle to discharge the extinguisher
4. S — Sweep side to side at the base of the fire until extinguished

If the fire does not go out within 10 seconds of extinguisher use, DROP the extinguisher and EVACUATE immediately.

Fire Extinguisher Types

| Class | For | Label Color | Contents | |-------|-----|-------------|----------| | A | Ordinary combustibles (wood, paper, cloth) | Green triangle | Water, foam | | B | Flammable liquids (grease, gasoline, oil) | Red square | Foam, dry chemical, CO2 | | C | Electrical fires | Blue circle | CO2, dry chemical | | K | Kitchen cooking oils and fats | Black hexagon | Wet chemical | | ABC | Multi-purpose (most common home extinguisher) | Multiple | Dry chemical (monoammonium phosphate) |

Recommendation: Every home should have at minimum one ABC extinguisher on every floor and one Class K extinguisher in or near the kitchen. Check pressure gauges monthly. Replace or recharge every 5-12 years per manufacturer guidelines.

Specific Fire Types

Kitchen Grease Fire

A grease fire on the stovetop is one of the most common and most dangerous home fires. The wrong response (water) makes it catastrophically worse.

1. NEVER use water on a grease fire. Water hitting hot grease causes an explosive steam eruption that throws burning grease across the kitchen — causing severe burns and spreading the fire
2. Turn off the burner if you can safely reach the knob without reaching over the fire
3. Cover the pot or pan with a metal lid (not glass — glass can shatter). Slide the lid over the pan from the side. Leave the lid on until the pan has cooled completely — removing it too soon allows oxygen back in and the fire reignites
4. If no lid is available: Pour baking soda (NOT baking powder, NOT flour) generously on the fire. Baking soda releases CO2 when heated. Flour is combustible and will explode
5. Use a Class K fire extinguisher if the fire is beyond the lid/baking soda stage
6. If the fire spreads beyond the pan: EVACUATE and call 911. Do not try to carry a burning pan — you will spill burning grease on yourself

Electrical Fire

1. Shut off power at the breaker panel if safely accessible (see emergencies/electrical-emergency.md)
2. Use a Class C or ABC extinguisher — NEVER water
3. If the fire is in the walls (burning smell, discoloration, heat from outlet/switch): Evacuate immediately and call 911. Wall fires are already inside the structure and can spread rapidly through wall cavities
4. Unplug the burning device only if the cord is not damaged and you can do so safely (without touching the device itself)

Dryer Fire

Lint buildup in dryer vents is the leading cause of dryer fires (nearly 3,000/year in the US):

1. Shut off the dryer and unplug it if safe to do so
2. Do NOT open the dryer door — oxygen feeds the fire
3. If fire is contained inside the dryer: it may self-extinguish without oxygen. Stand by with an extinguisher
4. If fire has spread beyond the dryer: EVACUATE and call 911
5. Prevention: Clean lint trap before every load. Clean the entire dryer vent duct annually. Replace flexible foil/plastic vent ducts with rigid metal

Escape Plan Requirements

Every household needs a written fire escape plan that includes:

• Two exits from every room (primary: door; secondary: window). Ensure windows open easily and screens can be removed quickly
• Escape ladders for 2nd and 3rd floor bedrooms ($30-$80, store under bed or in closet near window)
• Designated meeting point outside the home — far enough from the house that you are not in the way of firefighters (mailbox, large tree, neighbor's driveway)
• Assignment for helping children, elderly, and mobility-impaired household members
• Pet evacuation plan — carriers near the door, leashes accessible. Never risk human life for pet rescue
• Practice twice per year — at least one nighttime drill (when most fatal fires occur). Time your escape — you should be able to get from bed to meeting point in under 2 minutes

Warning Signs (Fire Risk Indicators)

• Smoke alarms older than 10 years (replace, even if they still chirp when tested)
• Missing or non-functional smoke alarms on any floor
• Overloaded electrical outlets or extension cords used as permanent wiring
• Space heaters closer than 3 feet to combustible materials
• Dryer vent not cleaned in more than 1 year
• Chimney not inspected in more than 1 year (creosote buildup)
• Candles used without proper holders or left unattended
• Cooking left unattended (the #1 cause of home fires)
• Faulty or recalled appliances still in use
• Cluttered exits, hallways, or stairways that impede evacuation

Pro Detail

Smoke Alarm Specifications

• Ionization detectors: Faster response to flaming fires (paper, grease). Higher false alarm rate (cooking smoke)
• Photoelectric detectors: Faster response to smoldering fires (electrical, upholstery). Fewer false alarms
• Dual-sensor (recommended): Combines both technologies for best overall protection
• Placement: Every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, every level, and in the kitchen (photoelectric to reduce false alarms). Ceiling-mounted preferred (smoke rises). At least 10 feet from cooking appliances to reduce nuisance alarms
• Interconnection: All alarms should be interconnected (hardwired or wireless) so that when one sounds, all sound. Required by code in new construction
• Replacement: Every 10 years regardless of function. Date of manufacture is printed on the back
• Battery: Replace batteries annually (unless sealed 10-year lithium units). Chirping = low battery (replace immediately, do not remove the battery)

Code & Compliance

• Smoke alarms: Required on every level, in every bedroom, and outside sleeping areas (NFPA 72, IRC R314)
• CO alarms: Required on every level with sleeping areas in homes with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages (varies by state)
• Fire extinguishers: Not required by residential code in most jurisdictions, but strongly recommended
• Egress windows: Every bedroom must have at least one window meeting minimum size requirements (5.7 sq ft opening, 24" minimum height, 20" minimum width, max 44" sill height) per IRC R310
• Fire sprinklers: Required in new construction in some jurisdictions (IRC R313 — adopted by some states/municipalities)

Cost Guide

| Item | Typical Range | Notes | |------|--------------|-------| | Smoke alarm (battery) | $10-$30 each | Replace every 10 years | | Smoke alarm (hardwired, interconnected) | $15-$40 each + installation | Professional installation: $50-$100/alarm | | Smart smoke alarm (Nest, First Alert) | $80-$130 each | Smartphone alerts, interconnected | | Fire extinguisher (ABC, 5 lb) | $25-$60 | One per floor minimum | | Fire extinguisher (Class K, kitchen) | $50-$100 | Essential for kitchens | | Escape ladder (2-story) | $30-$80 | Store in bedroom near window | | Dryer vent cleaning | $100-$200 | Annual professional cleaning | | Chimney cleaning and inspection | $150-$400 | Annual for wood-burning | | Fire sprinkler system (new construction) | $1-$2/sq ft | $2,000-$5,000 for typical home |

Shipshape Integration

Shipshape provides comprehensive fire safety monitoring:

• Smoke Alarm Tracking: Records smoke alarm type, age, location, and last battery change for every unit. Sends replacement alerts at 10 years and battery change reminders annually
• Smart Smoke Alarm Integration: Connected smoke alarms (Nest Protect, First Alert, etc.) feed alerts directly to Shipshape. Fire detection triggers emergency notification chain: all household members, emergency contacts, and 911 (if configured)
• Dryer Vent Monitoring: Tracks dryer vent cleaning schedule. Annual cleaning reminders with nearby service providers. Vent blockage indicators (longer drying times, excessive lint, hot dryer exterior) flagged as fire risks
• Chimney and Fireplace Tracking: Records chimney inspection dates. Annual inspection reminders before heating season. Creosote buildup flagged as fire risk
• Home Health Score: Fire safety factors prominently — smoke alarm age/coverage, fire extinguisher presence, dryer vent maintenance, electrical system condition, and escape plan documentation all contribute to the safety component
• Emergency Notification: Fire detection triggers immediate multi-channel alerts to all household members, emergency contacts, and assigned dealer. Includes home address, number of occupants, and any known hazards (gas service, propane tank location)
• Escape Plan Storage: Shipshape stores the family's evacuation plan, meeting point, and emergency contact list — accessible on any mobile device, even without internet (cached locally)
• Post-Fire Documentation: Comprehensive home inventory (recorded by Shipshape) supports insurance claims with documented equipment, finishes, and conditions before the fire