Keeping Safe in Your House During a Fire
Though you may not think you'll ever fall victim to a house fire, it's better to be prepared to avoid panicking. To increase your chances of survival, just follow these steps.
·React as soon as you hear your smoke alarm go off. On hearing your smoke detector or alarm going off and seeing a fire, exit your home as safely as possible.
·Safely exit through doors. If you don't see smoke at the door, open it slowly and pass through it after making sure the door feels cool. If there is a fire preventing you from exiting the room, close the door.
·Protect yourself from smoke inhalation(吸入). Get low to the floor and crouch or crawl on your hands and knees to avoid the smoke. Cover your nose and mouth if you have to walk by or through a heavily smoke-filled room.
· If your clothes catch fire, immediately stop what you're doing, drop flat to the ground, and roll around until you put the fire out.
·Prevent the smoke if you can't get out. Close your door and cover all vents(通风口)and cracks(缝隙)around it with cloth or tape to keep the smoke out.
·Call for help from a second story window. You can take a sheet or something else—white preferably—and hang it out the window to signify that you need help when the first responders get there.
A. If you are trapped in your second story room, get to an area where people can find you.
B. Do not try to get your phone, valuables, or your other important possessions.
C. Smoke inhalation causes people to become unconscious.
D. Escape from a second story window if you can.
E. You are probably a lot safer by closing doors.
F. Stop, drop, and roll if your clothes catch fire.
G. If you can't escape your home, don't panic.
Maggie had never experienced an earthquake before, only prepared for it. As long as she could remember, preparing for an earthquake was routine(常规的) at school. Her family as well had made plans in the event of a natural disaster. Earthquakes are so much more common on the West Coast of the United States.
Today Maggie was at home alone. Maggie knew her mom would be driving home on the busy freeway, thinking about preparing supper for Maggie's dad. Maggie's dad would arrive at the airport. He was coming home from a two-week business trip.
Maggie arrived home from school at the regular time. She was taking some biscuits from the kitchen cupboard, when she felt it. First just a tremor(微震), then the violent shaking. Maggie quickly ran under the large, wooden table in the dining room. The sounds of breaking glass and the crashing(坠落) of many things were frightening. But the table remained undamaged, and Maggie hid herself in fear.
After what seemed like a century the earthquake appeared to be over. Maggie could hear the sound of water rushing below her in the basement. The smell of natural gas was present in the air. Maggie knew where the main water valve(阀门) was located. Dad had shown her where it was and how to turn it off. Slowly and carefully she came out from under the table. The once tidy home was now almost unrecognizable. As Maggie reached the open basement door she could see the steps were still in good condition. She carefully made her way down into the dark basement. While still on the steps she felt the water rising and rising. Suddenly Maggie felt a lot of pain as a large ceiling beam (天花板梁) hit her head and shoulder. She fell onto some storage boxes…
Part of northern California had become an inferno(火海) in the latest big fire. A nearby town, Paradise, was reduced to ash. Nearly 50 people are confirmed dead and over 200 missing. Six of the ten most destructive fires in California's history have occurred in the past decade. Last year was the most destructive year on record, until this year. Why is the Golden State so flammable?
There are three reasons why California has been surrounded by flames. First, the climate is becoming warmer. This has led to snow melting earlier, drier landscapes and a longer season when fires are likely to occur.
A second reason is that more people live in flammable places. Since the 1990s 60% of new homes in California, Washington and Oregon have been built in spaces next to nature. These areas, which environmentalists call the "wildland-urban interface", are at higher risk of wildfire.
A third reason is that there is more fuel. Before western settlers arrived, fires used to happen often and naturally, which made less fuel available for future fires. For the past century fires have been controlled well. This has led to a build-up of dry brush, and makes the average wildfire much likelier to turn into a big one.
Putting out the flame is the most immediate task for California, but not the last. Many survivors will want to rebuild their homes exactly where they were. Californians will also want to ensure that utility companies(公用事业公司) are acting and investing responsibly. Investigations into what caused the fire are still going on, but some reports suggest it may have begun with sparks (火花) from lines owned by an electricity company.
