Stay low to the ground during a fire, test doors before opening them, and never use elevators — once outside, don’t look back

24. Stay low to the ground during a fire, test doors before opening them, and never use elevators — once outside, don’t look back

Cost: Installing one or two standalone smoke detectors at home costs only a few dozen yuan. It’s also worth checking in advance which two exits are available on your hallway.

In plain terms: Drop to the ground and crawl toward the nearest exit, staying under any smoke layer. Before opening a door, touch the handle and door surface first; if either feels hot or smoke is seeping through the crack, don’t open it — instead, head toward the other exit. Open the door slowly, and shut it immediately if thick smoke rushes in. Always use stairs instead of elevators, since power outages can trap you inside them. Once outside, never turn back to retrieve belongings. If your clothes catch fire, stop where you are, lie down, roll on the ground, and shield your face with your hands.

Benefit: FEMA’s official fire escape guidance matches these steps exactly: “Drop to the ground and crawl under smoke toward an exit.” It also advises testing door handles and surfaces first — “If they’re hot, or smoke is coming through the crack, don’t open the door; use the other exit instead.” Open doors slowly, and close them at once if heavy smoke appears. For clothing fires, the same advice applies: “Stop, lie down, roll, and shield your face.” If escape proves impossible, close the door and seal any gaps or vents with cloth or tape, then call for help and state your location. China’s emergency management department shares these same recommendations: never use elevators, head downward if the fire is small, cover your nose and mouth with a wet towel or mask, and evacuate while staying low to the ground.

Evidence grade: B

Sources: US FEMA Ready.gov. Home Fires. <https://www.ready.gov/home-fires>; Ministry of Emergency Management of China (2019). Self-rescue methods for fires in public places: "Do not take the elevator when escaping. When the fire is not big, try to run below the floor." "You can use a wet towel or mask to cover your nose, and crawl or bend down to evacuate." <https://www.mem.gov.cn/kp/shaq/201904/t20190401_366015.shtml>; Guizhou Provincial Fire and Rescue Corps (2020). Firefighting knowledge | Three key points for escape: "Fold the wet towel in half 3 times (folded into 8 layers) , the smoke removal rate is relatively high, but when the concentration of smoke and poisonous gas is too high, the filtration effect cannot be guaranteed. In addition, too wet a towel can cause difficulty in breathing." <https://gz.119.gov.cn/xfkp/xfcs/202010/t20201026_71437855.html>

Notes: Elevators are a major risk during power outages — never use them. Never return inside to grab possessions. Only head upward if you’re certain the roof exit is open; jumping from heights is strictly prohibited. Fold a wet towel three times to create eight layers — too much water makes it heavy and hard to breathe through. Even a wet towel offers little protection against thick smoke or toxic gases.