# Gas, Smoke & Reporting Fires Part of the Fire Safety Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide: [Introduction & Overview](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/fire-safety/guide/index.md) *5. Home Fire Safety* > **5h.** Explain what to do and what not to do if you smell natural gas and if you smell smoke. > **5i.** Explain how you would report a fire to have the fire department respond. Two immediate dangers: the smell of gas (an invisible hazard that can explode) and smoke (a sign fire is already burning). Both demand quick, decisive action. ## Requirement 5h: Responding to Natural Gas and Smoke ### If You Smell Natural Gas Natural gas is odorless, so gas companies add a chemical odorant (mercaptan) that smells like rotten eggs or sulfur. If you smell this, gas is leaking. Video: [Do you know what to do if you smell natural gas? — Manitoba Hydro](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5jDGMCZ35M) **What to DO:** 1. **Leave immediately.** Get outside the building as quickly as possible. Do not waste time investigating or collecting items. 2. **Do not use electrical switches, phones, or anything that might create a spark.** (Turn off light switches, do not call from inside the house.) 3. **Do not light a match or create any flame.** 4. **Once outside, call 911 or your gas company's emergency line** from a safe distance (at least 100 feet away). 5. **Do not re-enter the building** until the gas company or fire department clears it. 6. **Ventilate the building:** If it's safe to do so (if gas is not immediately threatening), open windows and doors from outside to help dissipate the gas. **What NOT to do:** - ❌ Do not turn lights on or off - ❌ Do not use the phone inside the house - ❌ Do not light matches, candles, or any flame - ❌ Do not operate electrical appliances - ❌ Do not start a car in the garage - ❌ Do not investigate where the leak is coming from - ❌ Do not ignore the smell thinking it will go away **Why?** A spark from a light switch, a phone, or a car engine can ignite escaping gas, causing an explosion. Even a static electricity shock could potentially ignite it. Leave first, call second. > **Safety First!** > > If you're in a building and suddenly smell gas, your only job is to get out safely and alert adults. You are not a gas technician. Let professionals handle it. ## If You Smell Smoke Smoke means fire is burning somewhere. Even if you can't see flames, assume a fire exists nearby or has already spread into walls or hidden spaces. **What to DO:** 1. **Alert others immediately.** Yell "FIRE!" to wake or alert people nearby. 2. **Leave the building using your evacuation plan.** Use stairs (never elevators). 3. **If smoke is thick, stay low.** Crawl below the smoke where air is cleaner and cooler. 4. **Feel doors before opening them.** Place the back of your hand on a door. If it's hot, the fire is likely on the other side. Use an alternate route. 5. **Close doors behind you** as you leave to slow fire spread to other areas. 6. **Get to your meeting point** and account for all family members. 7. **Call 911** once you're safe outside. 8. **Do not re-enter the building.** **What NOT to do:** - ❌ Do not investigate to find the fire - ❌ Do not use elevators (they can trap you or malfunction in a fire) - ❌ Do not stop to collect belongings or pets - ❌ Do not hide in the building - ❌ Do not use water on certain fires (electrical, gas, or grease fires) - ❌ Do not wait for everyone to be ready—leave immediately and meet outside **Why?** Smoke kills faster than flames. In a real fire, you have only minutes before visibility is zero and air becomes unbreathable. Every second counts. > **Did You Know?** > > In a modern house fire with synthetic furnishings, the entire house can become smoke-filled and uninhabitable in less than 5 minutes from the time of ignition. The smell of smoke means you're already in danger. ## Requirement 5i: Reporting Fires ### How to Report a Fire When you call 911 to report a fire, the dispatcher needs specific information to send the right resources to the right location. **When calling 911:** 1. **Stay calm.** Speak clearly. The dispatcher is trained to understand emergencies. 2. **Give your location first:** "I'm calling about a fire at 123 Main Street" or "There's a fire at the corner of Oak and Elm." 3. **Describe the fire:** - Where is it? (House, garage, vacant building, wildland area?) - What's burning? (If you know: "It's a house fire," "Brush fire," etc.) - How big is it? ("Small fire in one room" vs. "Entire building is burning") - Is anyone trapped inside? 4. **Answer dispatcher questions.** They may ask: - "Is anyone inside?" - "Are there hazards nearby?" (propane tank, power lines, etc.) - "Are there injuries?" 5. **Keep the line open.** Do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you to. They may need more information. **Example call:** *You:* "I need to report a fire." *Dispatcher:* "What is the address of the fire?" *You:* "It's at 456 Elm Street, the blue house." *Dispatcher:* "Is this a house, garage, or other structure?" *You:* "It's the house. The kitchen is on fire." *Dispatcher:* "Is anyone inside the house?" *You:* "No, we got everyone out. My family is outside in the front yard." *Dispatcher:* "Are there any injuries?" *You:* "No injuries that I know of." *Dispatcher:* "Okay, firefighters are on the way. Stay outside and away from the building." **Calling from a cell phone:** - State your location clearly, as cell calls don't always connect to the nearest dispatch center. - If possible, have a specific address ready. - If you don't know the exact address, describe landmarks: "It's next to the church on Main Street" or "It's behind the gas station." ## False Alarms Matter If you call 911 about a fire that turns out to be a bonfire, a grill, or something non-threatening, do not hang up in embarrassment. Explain what you saw and let the dispatcher decide if resources need to respond. It's always better to err on the side of caution. **However:** Deliberately calling 911 with a false report is a crime. Never "prank" call 911 about a fire. Firefighters responding to false alarms cannot respond to real emergencies. --- Now let's shift from home hazards to another category of fire danger: flammable and combustible liquids. --- - Previous: [Home Fire Escape Plan](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/fire-safety/guide/req5g/index.md) - Next: [Safe Storage & Handling](https://merit-badge.university/merit-badges/fire-safety/guide/req6/index.md)