Whether it's at home, the office, school or any other place you may frequent, fires can occur at almost anytime. While accidents and electrical malfunctions are common and sometimes unforeseeable causes, the strength and size of a fire can be exacerbated by the weather. As such, with a hot and dry summer well underway here in Australia, it's important to know how to respond if a fire does break out wherever you may be. Every state has a legal requirement that your employer ensures you're working in a safe environment. This includes having evacuation plans in place, as well as fire safety equipment, such as a working sprinkler system, fire blankets and fire extinguishers on hand. The same goes for schools and other public institutions. If the worst occurs and a fire does break out, follow these procedures.

Step one: contact emergency services

First and foremost, as soon as the fire alarm goes off and the presence of a fire is undeniable, you need to contact fire emergency services. Often times, alarm systems in office buildings trigger an emergency response automatically, but you should manually call just in case. Calling as soon as possible is important because even if the fire turns out to be small and you put it out before they arrive, the fire emergency service will be able to advise you on what to do next. If the fire is big, you'll be glad that they get there as soon as possible. Having the number of emergency services saved on your phone can save you valuable time. 

Step two: assess the risk

You'll have to act as quickly and calmly as possible to most effectively respond to any potential fire. In assessing the risk of the fire, take into account its size, speed of spread, and cause, as well as how much smoke or toxic chemicals it may be emitting. In many serious cases, smoke inhalation can cause suffocation before the flames even have a chance to get to you. If the fire is large and getting larger rapidly, you will not be able to combat it and need to leave. If it is small and seemingly containable, you may be able to reduce or halt its spread entirely. Your gut feeling is a vital asset here. In any case, you'll also need to recognise the cause in order to know how to best approach containing the fire. 

Step three: if safe, minimise the hazard 

If you've decided that it's safe to do so, you can approach the fire with a fire extinguisher or fire blanket to try and put it out. Note that there are multiple types of fires and multiple types of fire extinguishers to deal with them. The most common foam and water variations are most effective against Class A fires which are sparked by burning conventional materials like paper and wood. These fire extinguishers are not safe to use on electrical fires until the power is turned off. To prepare for an event like this, familiarise yourself with fire extinguisher operation procedures. 

Step four: evacuate

Your office place should have a chart illustrating the best escape route for you to take, as well as the location of a meeting point outside of your building. Obviously, if your route is obstructed by fire, you will need to take an alternative path. When moving from room to room, feel doors with the back of your hand to see whether they are warm. If they are, there may be a fire on the other side. The presence of smoke similarly indicates a dangerous route. Paying attention to your practice fire drills will help you prepare for an emergency evacuation. 

While these steps are a general outline of procedure in the event of a fire at your work place, be sure to consult your office's guide. They will provide instructions tailored to your particular environment.