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*Emergency in Singapore: Call 995 for fire engine, call 999 for police
Do not panic. Remain calm and alert others of the fire by shouting. Turn off gas mains if you can reach them, and break your nearest fire alarm to activate it.
House on Fire: What to do now?
Get Out! Call for help!
Do not use the lift, instead leave via the stairs. And, do not run back to take your things. Call the SCDF hotline at 995 and tell them your address. You may be scared, but never hide during a fire. Try your best to find a way out. Get outside!
Crawl under smoke
Most fire-related deaths are caused by smoke inhalation, not by the actual fire itself.
Cover your nose and mouth with a wet cloth and avoid inhaling through the mouth. Get down, keep close to the ground and crawl towards the point of escape under the smoke.
Never open hot doors!
If the door is hot, do not open. Use another exit. If you are trapped, place a wet towel under the door. Go to an open window, and wave a brightly-colored cloth or use a flashlight to signal for help.
Stop, drop, roll!
If your clothes catch fire, stop running, and remain calm. Drop to the floor immediately and roll from side to side to put out the fire. Cover your face with your hands.
How to use Fire Extinguisher?
Ensure that everyone has evacuated. Then, ensure that someone has called the fire fighters at 995 (SCDF Hotline). Remember, lives are more important than the property or car.
4 Steps to using the fire extinguisher
- Pull out safety pin while holding the extinguisher in an upright position
- Aim nozzle at base of the fire. This removes the source of the fire.
- Squeeze top lever to spray the foam. Hold firm. Do not let go
- Sweep from side to side to cover foam over the entire fire.
This method of using the fire extinguisher is called the PASS Method - acronym for Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep.
Home Fire Safety Kit Lite (1kg AB Powder + Fire Blanket 1.2m x 1.8m) from Fire Guard is priced at $67
Where to buy fire extinguisher in Singapore?
There are actually many places to buy fire extinguishers in Singapore. Most commonly, you can find mini 1kg or 2kg dry powder fire extinguishers and fire blankets at large supermarkets such as NTUC, HAO Mart and Giant (usually near the BBQ section), Self Fix, and automobile car shops such as Autobacs.
Be wary when buying fire extinguishers online - some of them may be expired products.
A mini home fire extinguisher will cost you $30 or so, and a fire blanket (good to have in kitchen near your stove) is priced in the $30 range too.
Otherwise, just order a home fire safety kit (pictured above) from trustworthy online stores such as Fire Guard.
Smoke Detector Singapore
Did you notice that every new HDB BTO flat has a smoke detector etched on the living room ceiling? As of June 2018, it is mandatory for every new home built in Singapore to have a smoke detector.
If your house doesn't have a smoke detector, you should consider getting a smoke detector installed in your living room at least. Before you go off shopping for a smoke detector, go through these SCDF guidelines and recommendations for a home fire alarm device (or smoke detector):
- Smoke detector should have a built-in battery
- Battery should have 10 year life span
- Smoke detector should cost $50 to $80 each
- Dry-cell battery smoke detectors are cheaper at $40, but have shorter battery life span
Here's a list of smoke detector shops in Singapore that are approved by the SCDF (hyperlinked). There are only two SCDF-approved smoke detector installers:
- Firetonics Pte Ltd (14 Woodlands Walk)
- Federal Fire Engineering Pte Ltd (12 Chin Bee Drive)
Federal Fire Engineering specialises in installing smoke detectors and fire alarms for the deaf.
12 Fire Safety Tips at Home (for Kids too)
As in schools and workplaces, consider having fire safety drills, and even emergency exit plans at home - and make sure everyone (including the elderly and children) participates.
- Fire Drills: As a family, find your nearest fire exit path annually. Then, practice a fire drill. Everyone has to be out within 2 minutes, and meet at the designated meeting place.
- Fire Station Open House: Create interest in fire safety by visiting your neighbourhood fire station's regular open house days. Most fire stations are open on Saturday mornings, 9am to 10:50am.
- Smoke Detector: Install smoke detector on the ceiling at home. Change the batteries at least yearly, or as recommended by the manufacturer.
- Fire Extinguisher: Keep a mini fire extinguisher and fire blanket in the kitchen and ensure that everyone knows how to use it.
- Switch Off Electricity: Switch off all appliances and devices when not in use. Unplug them before you leave the house.
- Check Gas Stove: Ensure pipes and cords are leak-free by applying a soap solution onto the gas hose; bubbles will appear if there is a leakage.
- Check Home Appliances: Get a licensed electrician to check for overloading - especially urgent if you often experience short circuits or blackouts. To avoid overheating, there should be enough space around the appliance. Switches and electrical cords should be checked regularly too, to make sure they are in good working order.
- Power Cords: Do not run power cords near water or under rugs in case of wearing out and short-circuiting that will cause a spark.
- Power Sockets: Do not overload your electricity outlets by plugging in too many appliances or power extensions!
- Safety First: Do not try to cut costs when it comes to items that could potentially cause fires. Cheap butane canisters should not be refilled with LPG. Also, never smoke in bed and never leave candles unattended.
- Separate Flammable Products: Aerosol sprays, lighters fluids, and paint thinners should be situated away from heat sources.
- Fire Escape: Have a fire escape plan, using the nearest fire exits and staircases in your building. Practice the route with your entire family several times,
An emergency exit signage pictured against a white corridor. What fire safety regulations are there for high-rise buildings in Singapore?
Fire Safety in Singapore's HDBs & High-Rise Buildings
It is difficult to have a hard and fast rule for what to do during a building fire, since every situation is different.
Unless instructed otherwise by rescuers, staying put when an adjacent or nearby unit is on fire is not a good idea in general.
If a neighbouring unit is ablaze and rescuers have not arrived, it is common sense to leave, alert one's neighbours, and evacuate to a refuge floor or to the ground level without using the lifts.
Housing Board blocks, for example, are designed to compartmentalise fires within each residential unit - preventing an inferno from spreading.
The charred remains of the house at Parry Avenue, off Yio Chu Kang Road, after a fire in June 2016 at 3am that started in the living room where drone batteries were charging killed two people. PHOTO: SINGAPORE CIVIL DEFENCE FORCE
On July 3, 2017, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said residents in unaffected floors will be advised by Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to stay in their respective homes, thereby minimising injuries or mishaps from the evacuation process.
SCDF will prioritise evacuation of residents on the floor affected by fire, and those two floors above as well.
Part of why the fire in Grenfell Tower on June 14, 2017 became a tragedy was due to a "stay put" policy, which did not work as the building was not able to compartmentalise the flames.
It is believed that the cladding used on the building might have contributed to its rapid spread, though the full investigation report by London's fire brigade has not yet been released.
Mr Sim Buay Piak, a 59-year-old man died after a fire broke out in his 11th storey flat in Tampines on May 27, 2018.
Mr Shanmugam said the SCDF will assess if there is a need to make changes to fire safety regulations in Singapore when the findings are out.
Here, buildings that are built since the introduction of the Fire Code in 1974 can only use cladding of the Class '0' standard, which is the highest performance class of material with limited combustibility.
The consultants of a building project - either a registered architect or professional - are responsible for making sure safe building materials are used. Before a building is fit for occupation, an independent inspector will also inspect the building to ensure it meets the Fire Code.
Not all buildings built before 1974 meet the fire safety requirements, as the code was only developed that year - following the Robinsons Department Store fire two years before.
Mr Shanmugam said in Parliament that his ministry and SCDF are studying ways to require these old buildings to perform fire safety upgrades.
For the public, it is a good idea to participate in SCDF's outreach efforts and pick up important basic fire safety skills.
Fire Retardant Fabric Material
In Singapore, you can get fire retardant fabrics for your home furniture's upholstery - anything from sofa, cushions, blankets, to curtains.
It’s always a good idea to visit a professional fabric specialist when selecting home fabrics.
Acacia Fabrics at Ubi, for example, specialises in a wide variety of upholstery options, ranging from materials like fabric, velvet, leather, and many more. One of the brands in their fabrics range includes the inherent fire retardant fabric called FR-One.
Fire retardant fabrics like FR-One have self-extinguishing characteristics that can contain flames should the unfortunate situation of a fire occurrence within the home. They have also been tested to pass the highest fire retardant standards, positioning them as one of the industry leaders in Inherently Fire-Retardant (IFR) furnishing fabrics.
To maintain its fire-retardant properties, these fabrics do not undergo any additional treatments or finishes. As such, there are no harmful chemicals in them. This way, you can be assured that the fabrics are environmentally friendly and safe for use at home.
Part of this article first appeared in The Straits Times.