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Fire Safety Awareness Quiz

Write your answers down on a piece of paper to correct at the end.

1.  If your smoke detector goes off and wakes you up, how much time do you have to get out of the house?

A.  1 minute

B.  5 minutes

C.  10 minutes

D.  15 minutes

2.  After your smoke detector goes off, what do you do?

A.  Jump out of bed and find out what's happening.

B.  Go to the telephone and call the fire department.

C.  Crawl low on the floor to the door to see if it is hot.

3.  You're at the door, what do you do next?

A.  Open the door and locate the fire.

B.  Slowly open the door and peek out.

C.  Feel the door with the back of your hand to see if it is hot.

4.  If the door is hot, what should you do?

A.  Leave it closed.  Get out from your alternate escape route.

B.  Open the door slowly and peek out.

C.  Place towels and sheets under the door.

5.  If the door is cool, what should you do?

A.  Go to the telephone and call the fire department.

B.  Get dressed, take your valuables, and get out.

C.  Go to the nearest exit, away from the fire, and get out.

D.  Stay low under smoke and escape by the nearest exit away from the fire.

6.  Once out of your home, what should you do?

A.  Go back for valuables.

B.  Meet at the pre-established meeting place with family members.

C.  Fight the fire with your garden hose.

7.  When should you test your smoke detectors?

A.  Once a week.

B.  Once a month.

C.  Once a year.

D.  They do not have to be tested.

8.  When should you practice a family fire exit drill?

A.  Once a year.

B.  During Fire Prevention Week (October 7-10)

C.  Twice a year.

9.  A pan of grease catches fire on the stove, what should you do?

A.  Use a fire extinguisher to put it out.

B.  Smother the flames with a lid.

C.  Dump baking soda on the fire.

D.  Pour water on the fire.

10.  You're on vacation and your room is on the tenth floor of your hotel when a fire breaks out.  You try to leave but the halls and stairs are filled with smoke.  What should you do?

A.  Go back to your room and call 9-1-1.

B.  Place wet towels around the door to your room.

C.  Open a window at the top or bottom if you need air.

D.  Stay by the window to signal the fire fighters.

E.  All of the above.

Let's see how you did!

1. A:   In a fire, survival is measured in seconds.  However, don't panic, your safe escape may depend on clear thinking.

2. C:  By crawling low on the floor to the door, you will stay under any smoke in the room where the air is clearer.  Remember, keep bedroom doors closed at night to prevent smoke from coming in.  Smoke from a fire has many poisons in it that a sleeping person would never smell and could potentially make the person stay asleep and die from carbon monoxide poisoning.

3.  C:  If the door is hot, opeing it would add oxygen to the room, spreading the fire to your room.

4.  A:  Use your alternate escape route.  Make sure windows are not painted shut and doors are not blocked by furniture.

5.  D:  Always stay low under smoke.  Never try to escape into a fire.  Go into a room the fire hasn't entered and close the door.  Use your alternate escape route - such as a window.

6.  B:  When you establish your family fire escape plan, decide on a meeting place away from the house for all family members to meet at.  A great place is the mail box.  Never re-enter a burning building - no matter what!  Even if family members don't make it to the meeting place.  Re-entering could cause you to not re-exit.  Wait for the firefighters.

7.  A or B:  Make sure smoke detectors are installed on every level of your house and test them at least once a month.  Pick a special date that is easy to remember - like your birthdate or anniversary date.  Keep spare batteries on hand and change your batteries twice a year - whether they need it or not.  We suggest, "Change your clocks, change your batteries."  You could always use the batteries for something else than the smoke detector.  Never remove the batteries or the smoke detectors when it is alarming because of burnt food.  Wave your hand in front to cause clean air to enter the detector.

8.  C:  You should practice your fire exit drill in warm weather as well as cold weather.  Most fires happen at night, so it would be good practice to pretend everyone is sleeping and awake.

9.  A, B, or C:  Never try to put out a grease fire with water - it will spatter burning grease, spreading the fire to the counters, walls, floors and maybe even you.  The best way, if the fire is still small, is to place the lid on the pan and move the pan with a pot holder off the heat.

10.  E:  All the answers are correct.  Never use the elevators, the electrical system could short out, leaving you trapped or opening the door on a floor where there is fire.  Remember to keep your room key with you so you can re-enter the room.  Stay low near the bottom of the window and place wet towels around the door to seal out smoke.

For more information on how you can keep yourself and your loved ones safe, see the Public Education page or call Lauri McMahon, the Public Information and Education Resource Officer for Iona-McGregor Fire Protection and Rescue Service District at 239-425-9316.