Petra

We are fast approaching the anniversary of my brother and nephew's deaths.

So I am going to take this moment to ask you all if you have planned your escape route from your house in case of fire. Do the kids know the plan?

Is the battery working in your smoke alarm? Is there even a battery in your smoke alarm, or did the beeping annoy you?

What will you do if your stairs are alight?
If the grandkids are staying over, do they know the plan? Which adult is getting which child?

Where do you keep your house keys at night? Could you find them if there was smoke and fire?

Do you shut the kitchen door when you go to bed? That was what the fire brigade said would have made most difference for my family.

Do you turn electrical appliances off at the wall, especially the ones you bought from somewhere online?

Have you walked through your escape plan? You need muscle memory to kick in when the panic of an emergency situation hits.

Please, if you could think about these things and make changes if you need to it would mean that something good has come from our tragedy. I never want anyone else to have to go through this.

#Fire #FireSafety #Emergency

Mar 30 at 3:29pmWeb
Show threadSibylle22h ago

@PetraPhoenix I'm so sorry for your loss. And it is tragic to see afterwards what small improvements would have made a difference.

Why is shutting the kitchen door good? Did the fire start in the kitchen?

We live in a wooden house, atm on the ground floor. We can go out pretty much everywhere. No "trap rooms". We are working on the second floor and absolutely plan an escape ladder for the front side of the house, because one of the rooms could become a trap in a fire.

Show threadPetra22h ago

@sibylle

The fire started in the kitchen, not having a kitchen door meant that the air was pulled through more quickly, giving the fire more oxygen and consequently causing a flashover.

Show threadSibylle22h ago
@PetraPhoenix I understand.
Show threadPetra22h ago

@sibylle

Thank you for thinking about it. It helps me to know I may have made someone else just a little bit safer

Show threadDenny22h ago

@PetraPhoenix Huh. I removed the kitchen door when I moved in, because I didn't see any point in having one - I never cook anyway, so it just got in the way of fridge snack raids.

But I have an absent-minded flatmate now, and disabilities, and a very stupid cat. Maybe I should put that door back on this year. Thanks for the prompt to think about it.

I hope you're as okay as you can be when such a difficult date comes up in the calendar.

Show threadPetra22h ago

@denny

Thank you for thinking about this. It helps me to know that I may have helped other people be safer

Show threadTom 🇵🇸 🇺🇦 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️21h ago

@PetraPhoenix
Regarding unplugging cheap appliances: My sister's toaster once spontaneously caught fire, just sitting there, not being used, not even hot from recent use. Just a wiring fault. I now keep mine unplugged when not in use, and I stay nearby while it is in use.

Also, I have an oven/stove with an upward-facing touch-sensitive control panel at the front. It has a feature to lock the controls, which I use because the naughty cat could easily turn it on by walking across it.

Show threadPetra21h ago

@tom

It was an electrical item that started the fire that claimed my brother and his son. You are wise to unplug things

Thank you for considering this. It helps to know people have thought about it

Show threadProjektionsyta21h ago

@PetraPhoenix

🫂

Show threadUnCovered Myths20h ago

@PetraPhoenix

When we had a house, there were no doors to the kitchen.

Here, the kitchen is basically part of the living room. Basically, it is three rooms. Stay safe.

Show threadMagnus Ahltorp19h ago
@UncoveredMyths We have a very wide opening between kitchen and living room (with no door), but at least the opening doesn’t go all the way to the ceiling, so any rising smoke theoretically could stay a few moments, increasing the time a small bit from detection to spread.
Show threadMary Starbuck19h ago
@PetraPhoenix
Sorry about your brother and nephew.
Our smoke alarms are good and I try to shut doors at bed time as much as possible. Thanks for sharing.
Show threadPetra19h ago

@autoperipatetikos

Thank you for thinking about it. It really helps me to know that others have considered their own safety because of what happened with us

Show threadWm.son18h ago

@PetraPhoenix

I'm sure my kids thought I was crazy, but until they were ten and eleven, I made them go out their windows, and climb down the ladder---one on each side where their rooms were. We heated with wood back then.

I'm very sorry for your losses.

Show threadPetra17h ago

@Sfwmson

I am glad you did that, and that you didn't need to use it in an emergency.

Show threadJoy_intl18h ago

@PetraPhoenix Your message has reached me, and not only am I thinking about it, I will also share with folks around me.

I find it incredibly caring and kind that you shared this message, in order to help others in spite of such devastating experiences.

Thank you. 🙏

Show threadPetra17h ago

@Joy_intl

Thank you so much.

If I can help stop this being someone else's tragedy too then making sure people hear about my brother and his son is so very worth it.

If there is a chance some good can come out of this then I have to grasp it with both hands

Show threadShaula Evans17h ago

@PetraPhoenix I'm deeply sorry for your loss, Petra.

Years ago I briefly dated a firefighter (sweet guy, we just weren't meant to be) who told me how many fires are started by appliances left plugged in. I have unplugged my kitchen appliances when not in use ever since.

In response to reading your post, I just tested all the fire alarms in the house and they're in good working order.

Thank you for your generosity in educating us. It's extraordinarily kind and thoughtful of you. 🙏 ❤️

Show threadPetra17h ago

@ShaulaEvans

Thank you for checking your smoke alarms. It means a lot that people are thinking about their safety due to hearing about my family.

Show threadSamuelJohnson16h ago

@PetraPhoenix This resonates. First, condolences.

Our former home was completely (totally) destroyed by fire. A year long forensic investigation failed to establish a cause. We were away and it was rented at the time. No lives were lost but personal possessions were. The letting agent didn't check the batteries in the smoke detectors. Would have enabled earlier detection and suppression. Regarded as old school now (according to my electrician), FWIW. Due to have heat sensors in current home.

Show threadPetra16h ago

@samueljohnson

Thank you. I am sorry that you have any inkling of what I am talking about though. I am also pleased no lives were lost for you.

Thank you for sorting out heat sensors.

Show threadBegoniaArizona16h ago
@PetraPhoenix 🙏🙏🙏 My heart goes out to you. Thank you for honoring the lives of your loved ones by trying to save the loved ones of others. I hope only good comes your way the rest of your life. *hugs* *tears* *hugs*
Show threadPetra16h ago

@BegoniaArizona

Thank you.

We are definitely overdue some good stuff!!

Show threadAnja15h ago
@PetraPhoenix I am very, very sorry about your loss. We installed smoke detectors and close all doors when going to bed - „close before you doze“ is what firefighters taught me
Show threadAndrew14h ago
@PetraPhoenix Reminds me Im waiting on a new smoke detector from my landlord. Mine decided to start going off randomly yesterday, until it just stayed on continuously around midnight 🙃
Show threadChery (Great Australian Pods)13h ago

@PetraPhoenix I'm so sorry for your loss.

in 2003 many parts of Canberra were damaged due to bushfires. In 2021 as part of a digital humanities project I made a webpage for small children about the experience as if it were seen throughout the eyes of a Blue Heeler (my grand-dog Max). It features an audio picture book - although the polls no longer work and some of the resources are no longer available.

Note:
The content on this website is designed for Foundation and Year 1 students. Set within the context of Canberra’s recent bushfire history, this project aims to provide a forum for families and educators to create a non-threatening environment in which to discuss and devise emergency strategies using the downloadable planners provided.

https://max.greataustralianpods.com/

Maxie's BushFire Adventures - A Dog's Tale

Show threadPetra10h ago

@cheryanne

That sounds amazing. Unfortunately when I click the link it just brings up an error for me

Show threadChery (Great Australian Pods)10h ago
@PetraPhoenix oh that's a shame - just tested on my phone and it's okay here on wifi and mobile.
Show threadPetra9h ago

@cheryanne

I will try it on my laptop later, to see if it will work on there

Show threadChery (Great Australian Pods)9h ago
@PetraPhoenix It's not very flash, just something I made when I was at uni here in Canberra. But it gives an idea of what could be achieved with a children's program. Especially now with ever more emergencies like floods and fires exacerbated by climate change.
Show threaderin1h ago
@PetraPhoenix thanks for sharing. I had a door installed in my bedroom and egress windows in the basement specifically for this purpose. My house setting on fire is my absolute worst fear and something I think about every single day. I fucking hate the stoves with the knobs at the front. I set my stove stop on fire once already and my stove doesn’t have a lock feature. So my friend is 3d printing me some safety things to slide in between the stove and the knob to prevent them from turning on unknowingly. I called the manufacturer for the stove and told them I have turned it on unknowingly a few times and one time something caught fire and they essentially shrugged.