When the official fire danger message warns ‘SHELTER IN PLACE’ – what does this actually mean? It does not mean the advice on sheltering given in FireReady. Most of this is nonsense. Dangerous nonsense. Some of it is so unrelated to reality it could be from a Monty Python script. NONSENSE ‘If you are trapped in your house … Move to the other end of the house’. (CFA Fire Ready Kit Updated 2013 Section 6, page 73) SENSE The ‘other end of the house’ could face the fire front! Whichever end of the house you are in makes absolutely no difference to safety. NONSENSE * ‘Make sure you have a point of exit in every room used as a shelter.’ (FireReady Kit page 22) SENSE Every room has a point of exit. Building standards do not permit rooms to have NO exit. And if they did, you couldn’t get into them in the first place. NONSENSE * ‘Any place of shelter within a house should have two points of exit. (Bushfire Survival Planning Template page 6) SENSE Now, hang on a minute, think! An en-suite can have two exits: each into a bedroom. A room can have 3 doors. The only safe ‘point of exit’ is a door leading directly outside. NONSENSE * ‘If sheltering within a house or a building, DO NOT get caught in an area with only one way out – for instance, a bathroom or a toilet. Rooms with only one exit can make escape impossible if that exit is blocked by flames and heat.’ (FireReady Kit page 22) SENSE If one exit of blocked, the other is hardly likely to be clear – or even visible - for you! The house will be smoke-filled at the very least. This advice assumes that more than one exit doors open onto more than one exit passage. How many homes do you know that have various passageways leading from the one room? NONSENSE ‘Most bathrooms are unsuitable to shelter in because they ‘have frosted windows that do not let you see outside’ (Bushfire Survival Planning Template page 6) SENSE Even if unfrosted, a bathroom window could let you see no more than next door’s fence! NONSENSE * ‘Most bathrooms are unsuitable. Escape can be impossible because they typically have only 1 door’ (Bushfire Survival Planning Template page 6) SENSE The dangers of sheltering in a bathroom or any other inner room has nothing to do with the number of doors it has. The reason is that embers could have ignited in the ceiling space, in which fire can gradually build up to flash-over point - when fiery ceiling, rafters and roof will fall in upon you. Even before this happens you may have died from toxic fumes given off by smouldering synthetic furnishings or wall lining materials. This gives off cyanide gas that can kill within seconds. The above official reasons are nothing to do with what makes it dangerous to shelter in a bathroom (or any other inner room). The reason is that embers could have ignited in the ceiling space, which falls in upon you - or toxic fumes from smouldering synthetic fittings poison you. The only way to ensure a safe ‘escape’ from sheltering in place’ is to stay by an external exit door. Preferably one that leads to an area sheltered from radiant heat. Have with you drinking water, a pure wool blanket for protection from embers and radiant heat, and a filtering nose cover for protection from smoke. For full details on protective sheltering, see Essential Bushfire Safety Tips publish.csiro.au/pid/6969.htm
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 03:46:32 +0000