What are you going to do if you are in a burning house? How will you escape? Do you know how to
save yourself? Please read the following passage.
Escaping a fire is a serious matter. Knowing what to do during a fire can save yourself. It is important
to know the ways you can use and to show them to everyone in the family, such as stairways (楼梯) and
fire escapes, but not lifts.
From the lower floors of the buildings, escaping through windows is possible. Learn the best way of
leaving through windows with the least chance of serious injury (伤害).
The second floor window is usually not very high from the ground. An average person, hanging by the
finger-tips (手指尖) will have a drop of about six feet to the ground. It is about the height of an average
man. Of course, it is safer to jump a short way than to stay in a burning building.
Windows are also useful when you are waiting for help. Be sure to keep the door closed. Or smoke
and fire may be drawn into the room. Keep your head low at the window to be sure you get fresh air rather
than smoke that may have leaked (泄露) into the room.
On a second or third floor, the best windows for escape are those which open onto a roof (屋顶).
From the roof a person can drop to the ground more safely. Dropping onto cement (水泥) might end in
injury. Bushes and grass can help to break a fall.