While it’s best to stay cool, calm, and collected when a fire occurs, it’s not always easy. Panicking is a normal human reaction to fire, and it happens more often than not. 

This is where the RACE acronym comes in. Experts created it to help make fire safety easy to remember. But what does the RACE acronym stand for? How do you use it to keep your loved ones safe from fire? Let’s find out below.

What Does RACE Stand for in Fire Safety?

The RACE acronym stands for Remove or Rescue, Alarm or Alert, Confine or Contain, and Extinguish or Evacuate. 

While your house, workplace, or hospital may be trained in implementing your fire plan, not everyone can instantly do it during a fire emergency. Fires cause people to panic, making things uncertain and unpredictable. 

The RACE acronym is a backup plan that’s easy to remember and follow. It helps people who are panicking to respond to fire emergencies more quickly. Plus, using this acronym can save lives.

Whether in the office, at the hospital, or in your house, following the RACE acronym can mean the difference between a minor fire and a raging inferno. It gives you a structured and logical way to respond to a fire.

Plus, a minor fire can turn into a huge one within 30 seconds. Every second counts during a fire emergency, so you have to respond as quickly as possible.

Why Is the RACE Acronym Important?

You might think that fires don’t happen daily, so you don’t have to do much about preventing them. Unfortunately, you’re wrong.

According to the NFPA, local fire departments responded to about 1.5 million fires in the United States in a year. On average, a fire department responds to a fire every 21 seconds. A home fire death occurs every three hours and fourteen minutes, while a home fire injury occurs every 53 minutes. 

If you think you’re safe after reading those stats, that's great. But if you want to add more to your fire prevention arsenal, the RACE acronym can help. Plus, many fires, injuries, and deaths could have been avoided if people knew what to do. 

If you’re a homeowner, employer, or organization head, you’re responsible for teaching your family members and staff about fire prevention. While it’s good to know what the RACE acronym stands for, it’s not enough to protect you during a fire emergency. Everyone should understand the specifics of what each letter stands for and how to implement them. 

Remember, each step of the RACE protocol serves a purpose in preventing fire and minimizing the damage it can cause. Without it, you may jeopardize your safety and those around you. The consequences of not understanding the RACE acronym can be severe, like delays in alerting others and not evacuating on time. In the next sections, we’ll take a closer look at every step and how to implement them. 

What Does R stand for in the RACE acronym?

The R in the RACE acronym stands for remove or rescue. This is the first step in the RACE protocol that aims to prioritize living things over anything else. 

As soon as you see a fire, check your surroundings for anyone who might be in danger. This could be your child, pet, colleague, or patient. Help anyone who can’t walk or get out of the building on their own. People with disabilities, children, the elderly, and pets usually need help during a fire emergency, so check on them first if they live with you. Prioritize people who got injured as well. 

Act as fast as you can, but stay calm. Remember, panic can make things worse. Don’t hesitate to follow your evacuation plan, but be wise enough to find an alternative route if it’s blocked. Be careful of fire hazards or obstacles along the way. If you have a fire blanket, use it as a cover as you walk through the fire. You can also use it to save someone whose clothes caught on fire.  

Make sure all family members, employees, patients, and guests are safe. While it’s ideal to put out a fire on our own, some fires can spread too quickly. In this case, it’s safer to be outside a burning building. 

Steps to Take

• Scan your surroundings to see if there are people who need help.
• Identify the nearest fire exits and see if they’re accessible. 
• Help those in need by giving them clear and concise directions. Guide, support, or carry them if needed. 
• Once you get them to safety, don’t re-enter the building.

Fire Safety Tools Needed

• Fire blanket

What Does A stand for in the RACE acronym?

The A in the RACE acronym stands for alarm or alert. This is the second step in the RACE protocol that aims to inform people about the fire for a quick, coordinated response.

Once people are away from the affected areas, the next step is to let everyone know there’s a fire. If the fire alarm hasn’t been activated yet and it’s safe to do so, pull the trigger. Doing so will let everyone else in the building know about the fire. This can also let people outside the building know about the fire and encourage them to call for help.

On the other hand, if the fire alarm is not working, shout “Fire!” loudly. If there are people around you, ask them to do the same. If you’re in a huge building like a hospital or school, use a loudspeaker or the intercom to let others know. 

If it’s not safe to pull the fire alarm, call the local fire department as soon as you reach safety. They will likely ask where you’re located, when the fire started, and how many are injured, so be ready with this information.

Steps to Take

• Activate the fire alarm if it’s safe to do so.
• If the fire alarm is not working, shout or use a loudspeaker or the intercom.
• If it’s not safe to use the fire alarm, call the authorities as soon as you’re in a safe place. 

Fire Safety Tools Needed

• Fire alarm

What Does C stand for in the RACE acronym?

The C in the RACE acronym stands for confine or contain. This is the third step in the  RACE protocol that aims to contain or confine the fire to prevent it from spreading or slow it down while people wait for the authorities. 

Once the affected area is cleared and everyone knows about the fire, you should try to contain it. However, you should only do this if it’s safe. 

Close all windows and doors as you make your way outside. Watch out for anyone who might be blocked or trapped as you go through the building. If you see anyone who needs help as you contain the fire, bring them with you. 

Closing the windows and doors helps because it reduces the fire’s oxygen supply. Think of it like a fire blanket that suffocates fire by depriving it of oxygen. Since oxygen is a part of the fire triangle, fire can’t continue burning without it. It’s also the easiest way to contain a fire since it’s extremely hard to remove the fuel and heat at this point. 

Steps to Take

• Close the windows and doors of the room where the fire is.
• Close the rest of the windows and doors as you go through the building.
• Turn off all ventilation systems if possible.

Fire Safety Tools Needed

• Firewall
• Fire door
• Fire barrier

What Does E stand for in the RACE acronym?

The E in the RACE acronym stands for extinguish or evacuate. This is the third step in the  RACE protocol that aims to extinguish the fire if it’s safe to do so. Otherwise, people should evacuate the building. 

If the fire is small and you can safely reach for a fire blanket, fire spray, or fire extinguisher, try to put out the fire. But if you don’t know how to use one, evacuate the building immediately.

While we want to prevent the fire from burning our house or office, your safety is a priority during a fire emergency. Don’t put yourself at risk if not needed.

To better prepare for this step, put your fire blankets, fire sprays, or fire extinguishers in accessible locations. You can check these guides for more information: where to put fire sprays at home, where to put fire sprays at work, where to put fire blankets at home, where to put fire blankets at work, and where to put kitchen fire extinguishers. 

Steps to Take

• Get a fire blanket, fire spray, or fire extinguisher to put out the fire.
• If the fire is huge and spreading fast, or you don’t know how to use the tool, evacuate the building immediately. 
• Use the tool if the fire is small and it’s safe to put it out.

Fire Safety Tools Needed

• Fire blanket
• Fire spray
• Fire extinguisher

Where Can You Use the RACE Acronym?

The RACE acronym isn’t just for big emergencies. You can also use it in different places, from workplaces to hotels. Let’s take a closer look at where you can use the RACE acronym below: 

1. Homes

Using the RACE protocol at home can make a huge difference during a fire. If you see fire or smell smoke, make sure everyone’s safe first. Help family members or pets who might be in danger. Then, inform everyone that there’s a fire. If the fire is small, use a fire blanket to contain it in the pot or pan. Otherwise, evacuate your house and call 911 immediately. 

2. Offices

The RACE acronym is also useful in offices. If you see a fire in the break room or smell smoke while in a meeting, scan your surroundings for co-workers who might need help. Then, pull the fire alarm to let everyone know what’s happening. Try to confine or contain the fire by closing the doors and windows as you make your way through the office. Finally, see if it’s safer to extinguish the fire or evacuate the building. Following the RACE protocol lets you respond to fire quickly and save lives. 

3. Hospitals

The RACE protocol is also useful for hospitals. Hospital staff use the RACE acronym to remember their responsibilities during a fire. For instance, if a fire occurs in a hospital, the first thing staff should do is rescue patients, especially those who can’t move on their own. They can use wheelchairs, scooters, and other mobility aids during the process. 

Next, they must pull off the fire alarm and confine the fire by closing all doors and windows and turning off ventilation systems. Lastly, they should extinguish the fire if it’s small and evacuate patients from the area while waiting for the authorities. With many sick people relying on hospital staff, using the RACE acronym ensures everyone is safe. 

4. Schools

Students and staff can also make use of the RACE acronym at school. Teachers and other staff members must guide students away from the affected area after a fire starts. If the fire alarm’s not yet ringing, they should activate it right away. 

They should also close the doors and windows as they guide students to safety. If the fire is small, school staff can try putting it out. Otherwise, everyone should evacuate the building in an orderly way.  Using RACE in schools helps staff and students stay calm during a fire emergency. 

5. Malls

The RACE protocol keeps shoppers safer if a fire occurs. If a fire starts, the mall staff should prioritize those who might be in danger. Next, they need to activate the fire alarm and use the mall’s intercom to inform everyone about the fire and its location. Next, the staff must close the doors of the store where the fire started and call 911. If the fire is huge and spreading quickly, the guards should guide everyone so they can exit the mall smoothly. 

6. Community Centers

Community centers are subject to fire, and the RACE acronym can help, especially during huge events. If a fire breaks out, the staff should prioritize helping everyone, especially seniors, kids, and people with disabilities. 

Next, they should get everyone’s attention by pulling the fire alarm or using the intercom. Depending on the size of the community center, the doors and windows must be closed by one or more people. Lastly, the staff should guide everyone to safety if they can’t extinguish the fire. Since a community center is a public place, the staff should call the fire department immediately. 

7. Transportation Hubs

Places like airports and train stations are always busy and filled with people. This is where the RACE protocol comes in.

Following the RACE acronym, the staff will know what to do if a fire starts in a train station or airport. They’ll know who to rescue first and how to inform everyone about the fire. Then, they’ll block off certain sections to prevent the fire from spreading. And if they can’t extinguish the fire, they’ll help travelers evacuate and call the authorities right away. 

8. Hotels

The RACE acronym is also helpful for hotel guests and staff. If a fire occurs, the staff should check all rooms for people who might need help. They should turn on the fire alarm and use the intercom to let guests know what’s happening. After this, they should confine the fire by closing all doors and windows. If the fire can’t be controlled, they should guide guests to exit the hotel and call the local fire department immediately. 

Conclusion

RACE is a simple yet powerful acronym everyone should know. Whether you're at home, in the office, or out in public, these steps help you respond quickly during a fire emergency. Remember to rescue, alert or alarm, confine or contain, and extinguish or evacuate when needed. 

Being familiar with RACE can make a huge difference when every second counts. So, take enough time to understand it with your family or colleagues. Stay safe, hero!