Stop, Drop, & Roll
Stop, drop and roll is a simple fire safety technique taught to children, emergency services personnel and industrial workers as a component of health and safety training. Primarily, it is a method to extinguish a fire on a person’s clothes or hair without, or in addition to, the use of conventional firefighting equipment. In addition to extinguishing the fire, stop, drop and roll is an effective psychological tool, providing those in a fire situation, particularly children, with a routine that can be focused on in order to avoid panic.
Stop, drop and roll consists of three components.
- Stop – The fire victim must stop still. Ceasing any movement which may fan the flames or hamper those attempting to put the fire out.
- Drop – The fire victim must drop to the ground, lying down if possible, covering their face with their hands to avoid facial injury.
- Roll – The fire victim must roll on the ground in an effort to extinguish the fire by depriving it of oxygen. If the victim is on a rug or one is nearby, they can roll the rug around themselves to further extinguish the flame.
The effectiveness of stop, drop and roll may be further enhanced by combining it with other firefighting techniques, including the use of a fire extinguisher, dousing with water, or fire beating one’s skin.