Beware of lights near combustibles; of children near fires and lights; and do not trust them with candles. Do not leave clothes to dry by the fire unwatched, either day or night; do not leave the poker in the fire; see that all be safe before you retire to rest.
797. Persons in Danger.—When a fire happens, put it out in its earliest stage; if suffered to extend itself, give the alarm. Beware of opening doors, &c., to increase the fire by fresh air. Muster the whole family, see that none are missing. First save lives, then property. Think of the ways of escape; by the stairs, if no better way—creep along a room where the fire is, and creep down stairs backwards on hands and knees—(heated air ascends); come down stairs with a pillow before your face, and a wet blanket round the body, and hold your breath; or try the roof of the adjoining house. Throw out of the window a feather bed, to leap upon in the last extremity—fasten fire-escapes to the bed-posts first—send children down by the sack fastened to a rope, taking care of the iron spikes and area; then lower yourselves.
798. Means of Extinction.—The safety of the inmates being ascertained, the first object at a fire should be the exclusion of all fresh and the confinement of all burnt air—suffocate the flames—and remember that burnt air is as great, if not a greater enemy to fire than water. For both purposes, of excluding the one air, and confining the other, all openings should be kept as carefully closed as possible. The prevailing practice of breaking windows is peculiarly mischievous. The only excuse for this is the admission of water; but if the firemen were provided with self supporting ladders, (that need not lean against the wall,) they might direct the water-hose through a single broken pane, with ten times more accuracy than by their random squirting from the street. Water should be made to beat out the fire by its impetus; sprinkling is useless.
799. Neighbors and Spectators.—When a fire happens, let every respectable neighbor attend. Send instantly for engines, both of the parish and of the insurance companies, and the parish and other ladder and fire-escapes. Look for the nearest fireplug—send instantly for policemen, and see they attend, and are active.
800. Method of escape from Fire.—The following simple machine ought always to be kept in an upper apartment. It is nothing more than a shilling or eighteen-penny rope, one end of which should always be made fast to something in the chamber, and at the other end should be a noose to let down children or infirm persons, in case of fire. Along the rope there should be several knots, to serve as resting places for the hands and feet of the person who drops down by it. No family occupying high houses should ever be without a contrivance of this kind.