Fire safety signs – do you know what they mean?

Over the Christmas period we had the usual endless round of journeys to the mall and, of course, catching the iconic Southern Christmas show that is such an important event every year in Charlotte and has become synonymous with the festive season. 

More than once, I caught myself thinking that stomach-churning and claustrophobia-inducing thought that morbidly crosses all our minds from time to time when we are in a crowded and confined space: What would I do if a fire broke out right now?

My answer to myself was not terribly convincing, as it did not go far beyond Gather up the kids and get out of here. A reasonable enough plan as far as it went, but hardly ground-breaking. 

Public buildings are generally far safer from a fire prevention perspective than they once were. Smokers have been consigned to the back of beyond outside, there are all sorts of sprinkler systems and alarms, and all those signs telling us what to do and how to do it. It occurred to me that I should sit the kids down and teach them what all those signs and symbols mean – except I wasn’t too sure myself. So here we have it, the parent’s guide to understanding the kind of signs you might see here, staying fire safe, educating the kids and avoiding embarrassment – enjoy! 

Escape Routes

These indicate the direction you need to take in order to get out – easy enough as far as it goes, but note that these often contain important supplementary information, such as regarding the use of lifts, escalators or stairs if you are on an upper floor. 

Raising the alarm 

When a fire breaks out, it can spread with terrifying speed, so it is vitally important not only to get yourself out quickly but to alert others as to the danger. Every public building will have fire alarms, which are clearly indicated by white on red signs with an arrow. Sometimes they are contained within a box, which first needs to be opened.

Also be aware that some fire alarms are directly connected to the local fire department, while others are not. The sign should give this information, for example with wording like “local alarm only” which means you still need to call 911 to summon help.

Firefighting equipment

We’ve all heard the golden rule: Don’t stop to fight the fire if it puts you at risk, just get yourself and your family out of there. Nevertheless, there are occasions when you might have to fight a fire, so it pays to know a little bit about what to do. 

Fire extinguishers come in five different types, and each is designed for fighting a different type of fire. Take some time to understand these different types of fire, how they are tackled, and the color coding system for the fire extinguisher types, then talk to your children about them – after all, you never know when you might find yourself backed into a corner.