How safety conscious are you?

I always read the card and then find the emergency exit as soon arrive and check the exit again just before bed. I've been caught up in 2 hotels fires.

I've never thought to check emergency exits or anything in hotels, but will do so in future.

I have seen recommendations to put your shoes just inside the door or a hotel room with the toes pointing in the direction of the nearest emergency exit door so that if you do need to rush out in case of an alarm you don't have to think about which way to go.

I do listen to the safety demonstration on planes with half an ear, but I find them ridiculous if you're on a flight which isn't going over water.

We have had three Carbon monoxide alarms for around 15 years. The recommended for CM alarms is within 2 metres of the devices that produce the carbon monoxide, in our case, boilers, cookers and wood burning stove.

Having an alarm in the bedroom is like having a smoke alarm in the bedroom rather than close to the potential sources of fire. By the time it goes off the situation in the house will already have gone beyond the critical state.

The presence and working order of our CM alarms are now checked very year by the CH serviceman and the chimney sweep. I think this is a legal requirement

Hetty58

Fleurpepper, I don't lock the upstairs windows - as only a very determined burglar would attempt to go up there to break in. They'd be on camera too.

I'm far more concerned with escape from a fire - and who knows where children would leave window keys? I wouldn't fancy my chances of breaking a double-glazed window either.

Exactly, it is not that the windows are too small, but the width of the opening is not sufficient. I'd urge everyone to test their windows and see, and have at least one that it altered so it opens wide enough.

MerylStreep - we have only been once to Maui, to Lahaina and Kihei, with the whales in the bay in front of us. Watching the footage of the devastation is just heart- breaking.

We recently replace our monitor, as they need changed after five years. Ours is in the kitchen, near the boiler, as recommended by our gas supplier.

We also have interlinked fire alarms all over the house, in accordance with govt. regulations here in Scotland.

An extinguisher and fire blanket are in the kitchen.

MerylStreep

How many here have a carbon monoxide alarm.
I ended up in hospital many years ago with carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s not pleasant 😥
I was advised to have it in your bedroom because most tragedies happen while people are asleep.

I confess we don’t at home but we doin our holiday let, along with a fire blanket, fire extinguisher, first aid kit and mandatory smoke alarms and exit details.

How many here have a carbon monoxide alarm.
I ended up in hospital many years ago with carbon monoxide poisoning. It’s not pleasant 😥
I was advised to have it in your bedroom because most tragedies happen while people are asleep.

Having had 4 break-ins over the years, and now having a lot of first floor windows unoverlooke at the back, giving onto a single storey extension, we have window locks - in use - on every window. However I have the key to unlock them in every room adjacent to the window, but unobservable from outside.

The purpose of window locks etc is to stop people getting into the house, not stop them getting out and once they are in, providing the main doors cannot be opened easily to remove loot, they then have to go out the same way they came in.

I have always had keys accessible by the relevant window, even when my children were small, but I explained to them clearly why the keys were there and the sanctions that would be imposed if they were touched. other than in need. They were never played with.

Fleurpepper, I don't lock the upstairs windows - as only a very determined burglar would attempt to go up there to break in. They'd be on camera too.

I'm far more concerned with escape from a fire - and who knows where children would leave window keys? I wouldn't fancy my chances of breaking a double-glazed window either.

I live in a 3 storey house. Before buying it, knowing l would sleep on the top floor, l checked that l was comfortable with an escape route should l need it. I wouldn't have bought the house otherwise.

Burglared fp? That’s a new one.

No excuse for not having window and door keys to hand. Ours always have been, I assume that by double windows you mean double glazed. I would be surprised if windows in a modern house were too small to permit escape,

We would have been in Maui now, but because of work commitments we are booked for September. Our bungalow is still standing but it is just outside the the town of Lahaina that has been destroyed.
I don’t think I could run fast enough to get away from those fires.
I obviously wasn’t meant to be there.

I have been very concerned about my families with modern houses who are so worried about safety, that they actually put all in great danger in case of fire. All double windows locked, and keys not to hand, and not a single window with a larger/wider opening that would allow exit by window- and doors double locked + Chubb Lock, and keys put away.

Every family with modern double windows should ensure they have an accessible window with wider opening- and for the whole family to know exactly where keys are and how to deal with them in case of fire. I'd rather be burglared than killed in a fire.

Good points Gundy the number of people I know who don’t keep their mobile with them all around the house and accidents can happen to people of any age.

Safety Starts at Home
For us seniors, things like:

• Throw rugs on the floor. People have a tendency to shuffle with their feet which can entangle your foot and make you trip.
• Do not obstruct your vision when carrying boxes or things down the stairs. Always keep your eyes on your feet and where you are stepping.
• Extension cords laying on the floor from appliances that you forget are there and make you trip.
• Do not try to walk in the dark at night going to the bathroom, thinking you’re saving electricity. You might trip over your cat!
• If you’re not wearing a “life alert” around your neck then put your phone in your pocket when you move around the house doing tasks like taking out the garbage, vacuuming/hoovering(?), doing laundry, sweeping the patio or sidewalks, etc.

Pick up your feet! Turn on the lights! Keep phone within reach!
USA Gundy

I always check there are smoke alarms and where my exit would be. I also always put sharp knives point down in dishwasher, I've heard horror stories of people tripping and landing on knives, otherwise I'm not overly safety conscious but use common sense.

As soon as you open your hotel room you should go back out and locate the emergency exits. Noting which way you need to turn coming out of your room and count and memorise the number of steps to the exits.
Not only do I stack knives pointing down in the dishwasher but forks prong side down too. They wash perfectly well.

We have a friend who's a tv cameraman. He says he checks the safety card in every hotel all over the world.

I’m very safety conscious. I’ve been in 2 house fires , trapped in one (I was a child but it stayed with me). I can’t get my head around why people don’t go through fire drills with their children. Nothing heavy but just for them to know what they should do. When I started doing this my kids first reaction was what about the pets? I had to explain that they would be ok as they wouldn’t be affected. Some other comments were, we can’t jump out of the window because we’ll hurt ourselves. It was a useful exercise but thankfully it never happened.

Yes I always check safety instructions and listen carefully on flights. You can never be too careful.

We were on the 25th floor of a hotel on the Gold Coast earlier this year.
Luckily we had left our shoes and my back pack with passports etc. in it by the door so when the fire alarm went off we could grab them. 25 floors mean a lot of steps.
It was a false alarm but everyone seemed calm and organised before we found that out.

Gosh I never check exits and escape routes , it’s never occurred to me before . I will now though .
Those who leave their keys in the front or back doors at night , just be aware others can’t get in . My fil used to leave his keys in the front door and after a fall and calling his alarm button the ambulance staff couldn’t get in and smashed the glass in the door .

Yes, I check the fire safety route in hotels. Hetty, that made me shudder. Lucky little child.

I was once on a ferry in the far east, and noticed a cupboard which displayed the words "Life Jackets". It was padlocked.

OMG Hetty, that must have been terrifying for you. Thank goodness you saw her!