Here Is What You Need To Know To Get Out Of A Burning Building

    Do not try this at home.

    by Becky Catherine Harris, joshuadavis, Alicia Barron

    Escaping a burning building is no joke. Did you know the time you have to escape after the smoke alarm goes off has gone from 17 minutes to just three to four minutes over the past 40 years?

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    It's suspected that's because more furniture is made with synthetic materials, causing it to burn quicker.

    Becky and Josh wanted to learn all about escaping from a fire safely, so they volunteered to do just that under the watchful supervision of Jeremy Fiorentino.

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    He's a former NYC volunteer firefighter.

    Watch here to see how they did:

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    In phase one of their lesson, Jeremy showed them some safe and smart ways to plan their exit strategy during a fire emergency.

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    Seemed simple enough: Touch the door with the back of your hand before going through it and, if it's hot, don't open it. If it's not, go 'head.

    The goal was to avoid something like this at all costs.

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    On to phase two, where Jeremy taught them what to do if they couldn't escape, and found themselves trapped.

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    Smoke is one of your biggest threats because it reduces the oxygen, and can cause your physical and mental abilities to become significantly impaired.

    After notifying first responders, Jeremy suggested they got foil, duct tape, and a wet towel.

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    This allowed Josh and Becky to seal the door and air vents, and use the wet towel to put against their faces to filter out smoke.

    Which brings us to phase three: last resort. If the fire is already in the room, a window could also be your only way out.

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    But be careful! Make sure to wrap your hand in a towel or cloth first, and use a blunt object to break the glass. Remember, this is your last resort.

    Success! Becky and Josh managed to escape the burning building unscathed.

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    And despite multiple requests, Josh did not get the okay to try and run through the fire (like The Rock would most likely do). Ha!

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    Now you know what to do in this type of scary situation.