Arsonist

You'll get no argument that a hothead is a nightmare to be around, but your approach to these kinds of situations might actually be making them worse. While all of us have been tempted at one time or another to ignore, egg on or chew out someone for their bad form, these are high-risk reactions best left to hockey. Read our Tips for Fire Safety to learn more about what to do in a three-alarm fire.

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You've got a good feel for bad moments, and like the professional firefighter, you know when to try and stop the inferno and when to allow a controlled fire to burn until it's out. People probably find you a good listener, and you can use this expertise to teach those around you who aren't too hot at helping out.

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Understandably, you look for a big buffer between you and the hot zone, opting not to get involved. Generally, this isn't a bad tactic, but keeping a big distance during the bad times may create distance in the good times. You don't have to be a hero and run directly into the fire, but there may be occasions when it's more important to help fight the fire than report it.

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Tips for Fire Safety
The whole If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen thing isn't bad advice – especially if you're not the one doing the cooking. If someone is having a bad day, remember that it's their bad day and not yours. Do what you can, but don't make it your problem.

Often what people need is a sympathetic ear or a chance to let it all out to douse the flames. See if they want to talk about it. Even firefighters have to let some wildfires burn themselves out, so if your offer for help is turned down, don't sweat it. Give the other person a little time and space to recover.

Don't try and turn a person's anger back on them. That's like putting out a fire with kerosene. If a lot of damage has been done, that's a pretty obvious sign that something is really wrong. Wait until things have cooled off to investigate the source of the blaze.

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