How a toilet can save lives in a fire: an unusual function of plumbing

No one is immune from fire, including residents of high-rise buildings. Your apartment can be protected from fire, but it is not known what will happen on the floor below. And fire is not as terrible as smoke: according to statistics, 70% of those killed in a fire suffocate from poisonous gases. So, during a strong smoke of the room, an ordinary toilet can save lives.

Who invented it

This method of rescue was proposed by the inventor William Holmes in 1981. He developed a special breathing tube that allows access to air through the toilet's water seal. This invention did not become widespread, but still the idea cannot be denied. In a hopeless situation, a person can thus gain access to the saving air.

How it works

For everyone to understand correctly: the toilet must be functional and connected to the sewer. New plumbing in the box won't help.

The design of the toilet is provided with a water seal, which cuts off unpleasant odors from the sewer. This is a water-filled knee under the seat. And also a water seal will prevent smoke from entering the sewer system, which means that breathable air during a fire will be in the sewer pipe. You just need to get access there.

What should be done

Since we do not have a breathing tube by William Holmes and it is unlikely that we will find one, any other tube can provide access to air through the toilet water seal. In its capacity are suitable: corrugation from the sink; shower hose; drain and inlet hoses of the washing machine or dishwasher; hose from the vacuum cleaner.

To save yourself from suffocation with poisonous gases, you need to twist or tear off any of these hoses. Then push it into the toilet seat water seal, blow hard to remove water from the hose cavity and breathe. To do this, of course, you need to overcome the nausea. But in times of mortal danger, these odors can be overlooked.

This gives a chance for salvation if there are no other options. The main thing is not to forget to call the firefighters and report your location. Mobile phones allow you to do this even in a fire and heavy smoke.

Possible disadvantages of this method

Of course, the air in the sewer does not differ in floral aromas, but at least it does not contain as many toxic impurities as in the smoke. Many will argue that sewer gases are a mixture of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and methane, and they can suffocate faster than smoke.

That's how it is, but sewer gases are dangerous if you breathe them in a closed pit. And the drain in high-rise buildings goes both down and up, where the hood is installed. This is done to prevent airing of the system. So, theoretically, this way of salvation is possible.

Let's make a comparison. For a lethal outcome, you need to breathe in thick smoke for 3-5 minutes. When plastic, polystyrene foam and other polymers are burning, two minutes may be enough. It is unlikely that the death from sewer gases occurs as quickly. If this were the case, farmers and plumbers would die every day.

It can be concluded that this method gives time before the arrival of firefighters. Sewer gases can also cause poisoning, but at least not always lethal and so fleeting. In a desperate situation, this action gives you a chance to survive!

In what situation to use the Holmes method

It is necessary to resort to this when it is impossible to get to the door, balcony and windows due to exposure to flame and high temperatures. Or there was simply disorientation in space and there was no way to find a way out of the smoky room. If a person is not threatened by open fire and high temperature, and only smoke is a threat, this method is quite working.

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