A fire in a house in the USA apparently started in the downstairs kitchen and claimed the lives of several children who were upstairs at the back of the house. Eventually the mother and eldest sister escaped through the front windows, suffering injuries.
Some commentators said they were mothers and would rather die with their children than leave them. But the mother was not with them and could not reach them.
In many fires and accidents a parent or older person is lost trying to help the younger ones, All they do is die and endanger other rescuers.
The sacrificial parent leaves behind other grieving children and a spouse who has no emotional support and companionship (and nobody with whom to fight for compensation, start a fund or campaign in the dead children's memory, and nobody with whom to start another family.
Sounds like the mother's and older sister's mistake was trying to reach the younger children, everybody trying to reach others across the staircase filled with smoke and hot air.
Eventually the mother and older daughter realised they had to escape through the window. But maybe the younger children were still screaming from the inner door or already overcome by smoke.
Admittedly, the first thought is to descend the staircase, or reach another inside room. It's true you are likely to break bones or kill yourself jumping from a high window onto concrete or packed snow. Should everybody have a fire drill plan. Supposing the mother had died or collapsed in an accident. What would the children have done?
The solution, maybe is to use sheets to construct escape descending at least some distance before letting go, hanging onto the ledge with your hands so your feet are at least one to three feet below the ledge, rather than leaping from a ledge with your feet starting at that height.
Instead of opening doors and calling to each other, according to most hotel instructions, you keep the door shut and block the airway under the door with fabric so you keep out the hot air, don't fan the flames with a draught when opening the window, and keep out smoke.
You then open the window to shout for help and throw out pillows, clothes, bedding, blankets, even a mattress if it won't block the window, for a soft landing. Neighbours have to get into the back garden over the fence using a ladder, use a ladder to reach up to the window, or let you descend, or even break your fall with a ladder forming a slide.
All this required planning. An older child can let a younger one (weighing lighter) dangle and thus fall a lesser distance. In theory two children could form a bridge another could slide down. A baby wrapped in pyjamas attached to a sheet could be lowered into the outstretched arms of a tall person below.
Another way is to break the fall.
without or mattresses and pillows thrown to the ground. Mother correctly got out to call for ladders, fire brigade, and be there for oldest daughter and father. Comment on buying indoor escape ladder, $37? Cheaper than I'd thought! All upstairs bedrooms should have one. Make buildings stepped. No concrete under windows. Put soft earth, flower beds and soft bushes and awnings under upper windows to break and dampen fall.
A gong or bell in a bedroom could be used to summon help. A mobile phone in a bedroom could be used to call the fire brigade. All this requires some planning.
Some commentators said they were mothers and would rather die with their children than leave them. But the mother was not with them and could not reach them.
In many fires and accidents a parent or older person is lost trying to help the younger ones, All they do is die and endanger other rescuers.
The sacrificial parent leaves behind other grieving children and a spouse who has no emotional support and companionship (and nobody with whom to fight for compensation, start a fund or campaign in the dead children's memory, and nobody with whom to start another family.
Sounds like the mother's and older sister's mistake was trying to reach the younger children, everybody trying to reach others across the staircase filled with smoke and hot air.
Eventually the mother and older daughter realised they had to escape through the window. But maybe the younger children were still screaming from the inner door or already overcome by smoke.
Admittedly, the first thought is to descend the staircase, or reach another inside room. It's true you are likely to break bones or kill yourself jumping from a high window onto concrete or packed snow. Should everybody have a fire drill plan. Supposing the mother had died or collapsed in an accident. What would the children have done?
The solution, maybe is to use sheets to construct escape descending at least some distance before letting go, hanging onto the ledge with your hands so your feet are at least one to three feet below the ledge, rather than leaping from a ledge with your feet starting at that height.
Instead of opening doors and calling to each other, according to most hotel instructions, you keep the door shut and block the airway under the door with fabric so you keep out the hot air, don't fan the flames with a draught when opening the window, and keep out smoke.
You then open the window to shout for help and throw out pillows, clothes, bedding, blankets, even a mattress if it won't block the window, for a soft landing. Neighbours have to get into the back garden over the fence using a ladder, use a ladder to reach up to the window, or let you descend, or even break your fall with a ladder forming a slide.
All this required planning. An older child can let a younger one (weighing lighter) dangle and thus fall a lesser distance. In theory two children could form a bridge another could slide down. A baby wrapped in pyjamas attached to a sheet could be lowered into the outstretched arms of a tall person below.
Another way is to break the fall.
without or mattresses and pillows thrown to the ground. Mother correctly got out to call for ladders, fire brigade, and be there for oldest daughter and father. Comment on buying indoor escape ladder, $37? Cheaper than I'd thought! All upstairs bedrooms should have one. Make buildings stepped. No concrete under windows. Put soft earth, flower beds and soft bushes and awnings under upper windows to break and dampen fall.
A gong or bell in a bedroom could be used to summon help. A mobile phone in a bedroom could be used to call the fire brigade. All this requires some planning.
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