How does a wet cloth really help (scientifically) to survive an airplane crash?

On Fri, 16 May 2014 04:00:28 +0000, Ann Marie Brest wrote:

They also explained that the "dry" heat of a cabin fire isn't of great concern:
"the human body’s upper airway naturally provides significant protection
to the lower airway and lungs against extreme heat from hot, dry air".

Here they mention the heat inside your body during a cabin fi
http://wenku.baidu.com/view/8abb4621...fcc220e6f.html

"In an aircraft accident that involves a fuel-fed fire, cabin air
temperatures could be expected to reach 662 degrees F (350 degrees C)
and higher. During inhalation, the air temperature might be reduced to
between 360 degrees F and 302 degrees F (182 degrees C and 150 degrees C
[respectively]) by the time the air reached the larynx"

They also mention the wet towel, although they talk about things
that aren't safety related (apparently only the HCN is what we care
about for the wet towel):

“Wet towels will filter out smoke particles, acid gases such as
hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride, and hydrogen cyanide.
Breathing through clothing will also filter out smoke particles,
but it will be less effective in filtering out acid gases
and hydrogen cyanide. Neither a wet towel nor clothing will
filter out carbon monoxide.�

As an aside, they mentioned that slowing down people for one
second could cost one life, so, you don't want incapacitated
people blocking the aisles.