Fire Emergencies

Fire Emergency Evacuations:

Sound the Alarm - If you discover or suspect a fire, sound the building alarm by activating the nearest pull station as you leave the building. If the building is not equipped with a fire alarm system, warn the other occupants by knocking on doors and shouting "Fire" as you leave. Once outside, Dial 911.

Leave the Building -Try to help others only if you can do so without jeopardizing your personal safety. After exiting the building, gather no closer than 100 feet to the building to allow clear passage of emergency personnel and equipment.

Do Not Go Back Inside -Do not re-enter the building until safety officials have conveyed that is safe to reoccupy the building.

Contacting University Department of Public Safety - You may dial (502) 852-6111 or 911 for emergencies. Provide as much information to the communications center officer as possible about your situation and perceived or impending safety concerns. Should you have difficulty remaining on the phone, let the emergency dispatcher know where you are relocating or your direction of travel.

To Survive a building fire locate the nearest exit door and leave immediately!

Smoke and heat will rise to the highest point and work their way to the floor.  The difference in heat between 2 foot from the floor and 6 foot from the floor could be several hundred degrees.  Smoke will not be as dense at floor level.  

In a low visibility situation use your hands and locate a wall. While maintaining contact with that wall, follow that wall to an exit door out of the room. To avoid becoming disorientated and crawling past the exit door, it is important to maintain contact with the wall. Taking a shortcut to cross over the middle of a room where you can not see the other side may cause you to become disoriented by having to climb over furniture and other obstacles.

Feel Doors Before Opening - An oxygen starved fire filled with products of combustion including carbon monoxide, will explode when mixed with oxygen, thus creating an phenomenon known as a Backdraft. Before opening the door, feel the face of the door and the door knob for heat by using the back of your hand. If the door is cool, open the door cautiously. If the door is hot, this is an indicator that the fire is close to your room. If there is heavy smoke or high heat present, do not leave the safety of your room. Dial 911 and give the operator as much information as possible regarding the exact location and conditions of the fire. If smoke is entering under or around the door, use dampen clothes to seal out the smoke. For added ventilation open a window at the top to release hot gases near the ceiling and open the window from the bottom the let cooler air inside. Avoid breaking the window glass, because it may be difficult to reseal the window should smoke began to rush inside from the outside. To get the attention of onlookers, stay in front of a window and wave a white/bright colored cloth or object.

If you can safely exit the room,close your door as you leave and go directly to the closest exit or stairway.If the nearest building exit is blocked by fire, heat, or smoke, use another exit or return to your room. Once inside the stair exit corridor, remain there until exiting the building is possible. Do not re-enter on another floor level.

Get Down Low and Crawl under the smoke - If you get caught in a smoke filled area, get down on your hands and knees and crawl under the smoke. Inhaling one breath of these hot toxic gases can lead to unconsciousness and death. Cleaner, cooler air can be found near the floor.

DO NOT USE ELEVATORS - Elevator shafts may quickly fill with toxic smoke, and also power outages may occur leaving riders trapped inside. Most elevators have functions that will cause the elevator car to automatically return to the street level floor and then lockout until unlocked using a special key by the fire department. Standing and waiting for an elevator to return to a floor location wastes valuable time. Take The Stairs Once inside the stair exit corridor remain there until reaching the exit door on the floor level that leads directly outside and not back into the building.

If You Get Trapped-Think, Do not panic!!!

Keep the Doors Closed - If you are trapped in a room, open the window from the top to let out the heat and smoke and from the bottom to let in fresh air. If there is a window that opens only at bottom, open the window slightly for ventilation stay close to the floor where the cleanest air can be found, and stay by the window.  Remember to seal cracks and vents slow the entry of smoke into the room if possible.

Signal for Help -Hang an object out the window (bed sheet, jacket, etc.) to attract attention. If there is a phone in the room, call the University of Louisville Department of Public Safety at (502) 852-6111 or 911 and report you are trapped. Be sure to give your room number and location.

Do Not Jump from the Room

Rescue strategies and tactics will be coordinated by the Fire and/or Police departments

If your clothes are on fire,   

STOP immediately

DROP to the floor or ground

ROLL while covering your face with both hands to smother the fire

Cool Burns by immediately applying copious amounts of cool tap water. Do not use petroleum based ointments, butter, ice or alcohol based products. In event of injury contact the University of Louisville Department of Public Safety at (502) 852-6111 or 911 and let them know that you or someone else has been injured so that medical aid resources can be directed to your location.