Prepping for Fire

[diamond lil]

After 30 years of living in a bungalow we are now in a first floor flat, ina very complicated building. Great fire alarms etc as it's a shelted housing complex of 18 homes (all individual flats for people over 55). Odd shaped block that actually looks like a stealth bomber from google earth Complicated as hell with two floors, long carpeted corridors. We keep finding couriers wandering around lost trying to find the way out. Green emergency exit signs at outside doors though.
Anyway my question is - what to pack and where to put it, in case of fire? The cat's box would have to be number one. We have a home safe that would need to be number 2. What else? Anybody who has experienced a house fire feel free to share how you coped.

[pseudonym]

Head torches, I have one hanging from the headboard

Fire extinguisher in bedroom, one by the front door

Hotel Bag

Valuable pictures/laptop/tablet

Valuable documents

[diamond lil]

Thanks pseud!

[Arzosah]

A fire blanket, Lil. Water to soak your clothes?

Practising the route out - would it be through your front door? What if the fire was in your corridor? If you had to hang out of a window in your flat, which window would you choose, and what could you throw down to make landing easier?

https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/t ... -of-flats/ (pdf at the bottom).
Obviously, London Fire Brigade has come in for a lot of stick since Grenfell, but the advice looks good. One thing for me, though - if there was a fire, I'd never accept the advice from officials to stay in my flat.

How mobile are the two of you? In the late 1960s, my grandad bought a fire ladder, a chain link thing you could secure in a bedroom and toss the links out of the window.

[Medusa]

Cat box close to hand, quite bulky so not anywhere which will cause a trip hazard due to smoke. Hotel bag/BOB on a coat hook near to your exit, plus hi vis jackets and perhaps a whistle. As Pseudonym said multiple torches and extinguishers. Check that there is a floor plan at the main entrance for the Fire Service, there should be, if not request one. Are you aware of the evacuation procedures and are you able to evacuate safely if required or would you require assistance? Fire hoods are expensive and not sure if the Fire Service recommend them, but could be a consideration if you did some research. I am presuming that there are stairs to your property and not just lifts? If you have some kind of resident's committee I would perhaps request additional signage to the exits (as someone who has zero spatial awareness) or perhaps contact your landlord and explain that this is something you have become aware of if you are finding lost couriers on a frequent basis. As for the safe, your life is more important than anything else, get yourselves out!

[diamond lil]

How mobile are the two of you? In the late 1960s, my grandad bought a fire ladder, a chain link thing you could secure in a bedroom and toss the links out of the window.

A ladder out the window would be perfect! We could manage that. Will look into these, ty arsozah

[diamond lil]

Cat box close to hand, quite bulky so not anywhere which will cause a trip hazard due to smoke. Hotel bag/BOB on a coat hook near to your exit, plus hi vis jackets and perhaps a whistle. As Pseudonym said multiple torches and extinguishers. Check that there is a floor plan at the main entrance for the Fire Service, there should be, if not request one. Are you aware of the evacuation procedures and are you able to evacuate safely if required or would you require assistance? Fire hoods are expensive and not sure if the Fire Service recommend them, but could be a consideration if you did some research. I am presuming that there are stairs to your property and not just lifts? If you have some kind of resident's committee I would perhaps request additional signage to the exits (as someone who has zero spatial awareness) or perhaps contact your landlord and explain that this is something you have become aware of if you are finding lost couriers on a frequent basis. As for the safe, your life is more important than anything else, get yourselves out!

There is an evacuation plan on the managers office notice board but I havent actually read it yet The place is owned by a HA and high amenity/high rent so I presume they know their stuff. (Or I hope they do!) And we all have video/audio screens in the flats where we can call for assistance. Fire drill every friday but only to make sure the alarm is working. No lifts though, two staircases only...

[Arzosah]

I'm glad the chain link ladder spoke to you, Lil

I've two experiences of fire alarms in public spaces, though none at home. I was on a train that stopped at Clapham Junction for ages, and I was smelling smoke. Nothing came over the tannoy. It was packed (high summer) and I was mid-way between two sets of doors. Eventually I though to myself, lots of kids are on this train, between me and the doors, I'm going to have to get them all off before I can get out. And I decided to safeguard myself, and be more use to them in an emergency, and got out of the train, went to sit on the platform seating. About 5 minutes later, the train was evacuated. We'd sat at the platform the whole time, and there was no problem in the end, but it was a potential emergency.

Other time was in a hotel in Blackpool at a science fiction convention the dancing at night in the disco was so ... energetic ... it shook free the dust in the air vents, which set off the fire alarms (particulates, I suppose, that could have been ash from fires). Me and my mate had only just gone to bed, 2 am or so, but she was zonked, and I practically carried her out. Next night, the same again, but I was the zonked one, and she carried me. The third night, yet again - we were fed up by that time, and stayed in our beds with the door to the room open (innocent days!) watching and smelling for potential problems. It was loose dust each time, and we did hear the Fire Brigade threatened to fine the hotel

It was before I knew much about prepping, and on the two nights when we actually congregated at the assembly points, we didn't even have out handbags with us - tickets home, credit cards, house keys, nothing. It just didn't occur to us. For things like a house fire, that level of stuff is really important. Nowadays, it would be your phone as well.

In making a BOB, I've kept some documents I'd want to take in a little fire safe - but I've put them in a separate envelope, clearly marked, so instead of picking them out of the safe one by one, I just take the envelope and go. The other stuff in there is nice to have, but not essential.

[diamond lil]

Ok great help ta everybody. Onnit today

[korolev]

We had a fire in February (fortunately contained to one room but still scary). I gave it a big blast from a CO2 then closed the door and got out.
To be honest, once I was outside, the ONLY thought was to make sure wife was ok. The only thing she grabbed was the car keys and phone.
Until you're in that situation you don't know how you'll react and plans made with a calm mind can easily go out of the window.
I'm now thinking that it might be a good idea to keep an emergency bag at my son's place.