Prevention and preparedness: how to avoid it and how to be ready

The most reliable way to survive a fire is to prevent it and prepare in advance. Most household fires come from faulty wiring and overloaded sockets, unattended appliances and open flame (stove, candles), smoking in bed, children playing with matches, and faulty gas equipment. Prevention is simple: do not overload the mains with multi-plug adapters, do not leave appliances on unattended, do not dry things on heaters, keep matches and lighters out of children's reach, keep wiring and gas equipment in good order, and do not store large amounts of flammable liquids at home.

A key part of preparedness is stand-alone smoke detectors. A cheap detector on the ceiling in bedrooms, hallways and the kitchen raises the alarm at the earliest stage — often before open flame — giving priceless minutes, especially at night when sleepers do not smell smoke. Detectors need periodic testing and a yearly battery change. It helps to have a working extinguisher at home (and know how to use it) and a fire blanket in the kitchen.

Finally, practicing in advance matters. At home and at work there should be an evacuation plan: two independent exit routes from each room, an agreed assembly point outside, and assigned roles (who leads out the children, who helps the elderly). Evacuation routes and exits must always be clear — do not block corridors and stairs or lock emergency exits. Regular drills are not a formality: actions drilled to automatism sharply raise the chances of survival, because in a real situation, in smoke and stress, a person acts as they are used to in training. Knowing the emergency number, the route to the exit and the basic rules must be in your head before a fire, not searched for during it.