Fire alarm and speaker switch. Photo from Wikipedia.
Problem
A visitor starts a fire in the rented room or apartment kitchen. What should you do to extinguish it?
Who is responsible for the damage?
Answers
Prevention
The landlord in the UK is responsible for instilling a fire alarm. At the annual check or renewal of a tenancy agreement the landlord should check the batteries. (This is in the landlord's own interests.)
Story
This year I have been a tenant of a flat in one country and a landlord of a property in my home country, as well as helping family members deal with contracts in both countries.
In one property a leak from overhead damaged ceilings, walls and floors. Further leaks led to insects and rodents.
In another property an oven caught fire. I believe when the oven was turned to grill by mistake, I was not there at the time.
Tips
Check rules in the country where you are letting to others or renting from others.
Check that both landlord and tenant have insurance covering fire, and third party liability.
Place a fire alarm and extinguisher near the oven and hob.
Have a sign pointing to fire exit.
Have a key to fire exit beside the fire exit. If that is the back door, have the key by the back door. You might wish to have the only key by the back door. If you have two keys you can leave another back door key near the front door. But you don't want to rush to the back door in the dark and find the key is back next to the front door.
Display the number for the fire brigade and ambulance services in the kitchen. Note that different countries have different numbers. You cannot rely on the tenants, visitors, landlords, knowing the number for the country where the property is situated.
Fix fire action instructions beside the hob, oven and microwave. These should include:
Do not throw water on a fire. This causes scalding or burning fat to splash out, injure people, and extend the fire, and sometimes cause an explosion.
Keep the number of the insurance company on the fire notice and the date of renewal. You need a photo and to contact them immediately.
Insurance
You may wish to keep insurance details handy. Yu may have a 24 hour hotline to an insurance company or legal advice as either a landlord, tenant, or member of the public.
Emergency Numbers
How will you find the emergency numbers? Emergency numbers will be displayed by swimming pools in condominium complexes, on railway stations, on buildings sites, and on maps. In the UK and USA you will often be able to find them in public places and private buildings> in Hotels and all suite hotels look in the booklets in hotel bedrooms or the local phone directories in bedside tables.
You might wish to copy down the emergency numbers of your holiday or business destination on the front of your diary for quick access and into your phone.
You could even print a couple of copies of the emergency phone numbers on an a$ sheet, laminating it if you have a laminating machine. Take two copies, one for each room in your all suite hotel or holiday flat, or two copies in case you change hotels and accidentally leave the first one behind in your first hotel. You might wish to leave a copy behind in your hotel bedroom or show it to a friendly novice guest house owner
Fill in these numbers wis and when you need them:
UK AND USA
Emergency Numbers in UK
999 emergency
111 You need medical help fast but not an emergency.
Emergency Numbers in USA
ASIA
Emergency numbers in Asia
Singapore
EUROPE
Emergency numbers in Spain
Emergency numbers in Romania.
The European emergency number 112 is the only emergency number in Romania. It is possible to call 112 from a mobile phone even without a SIM card. The average time to answer a 112 call is 4 seconds.
Finally, do a rehearsal with the entire family of what to do in the case of
Fire outside the front door.
Fire in the kitchen.
Flood.
First aid box.
First aid and CPR.
Nearest hospital.
(It's usually quicker to call the emergency services. Why? Because they can set their flashers and have larger vehicles which other traffic avoids or gives way to. They also deal with any parking tickets.)
Emergency numbers worldwide:
http://chartsbin.com/view/1983
Shows a map of the world with colours matched to emergency numbers.
http://chandlersfordtoday.co.uk/emergency/
Useful text explanation. Very handy advice that 112 works worldwide even on locked mobile phones.
Why 112 and how do you remember it? If you use the same number on the old dial phones you would have to deliberately dial. On a mobile phone you could accidentally press against a key and holding it down it repeats. So you dial 11 which is easiest to find, then a 2 at the end.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/112_%28emergency_telephone_number
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have other posts on safety. Please share links to my posts.
