You see flames. You smell smoke. What do you do in the moment? And, what about your children and pets? You have just seconds to think and act, and when time's at a premium, having a fire escape plan organizes and makes the most of what you have.
Whether you're on your own or assisting small children or an older family member, you have just two minutes to exit your home once you hear a fire alarm sound. To avoid chaos, injuries or worse, develop your plan based on the following:
Preparation
Before you plan routes, understand how to act when a fire could be spreading through your home. Also make sure your home is adequately equipped to alert you to potential hazards. Be mindful of the following:
- Always close doors behind you to slow the spread of heat, smoke and fire.
- Make sure you have a smoke alarm on every floor of your home, including one outside of every bedroom.
- Check all possible exits, including windows and doors, to make sure they quickly and easily open.
- If you have security bars or a similar system, know how to release them during an emergency, and instruct the rest of your household in the proper technique.
- Designate a meeting place outdoors that's a safe distance from your home - for example, a sign or mailbox across the street or a neighbor's house.
- For emergency services, make sure your house number is clearly visible and identifiable from the street.
- Have all family members memorize the number for the fire department, and emphasize that they call it once outside of your home safely.
- If your household has children under age 6, older adults, those with limited mobility or pets, plan to have a designated person assist them outside, and assign a backup in case the primary individual isn't home.
- If you'll have overnight guests, brief them on your fire safety plan before they go to bed.
Making a Fire Safety Plan
Regardless of the size of your household, develop a fire safety plan based on the following:
- Two ways to get out of every room: Adults should know both exits, including windows and doors. You may need to draw a floor plan with your children, so that they understand where to go and how to safely exit.
- Keep all windows and doors clear: This means removing objects and other trip hazards that could get in your way as you attempt to exit your home.
- Select an outside meeting place: Select an accessible spot on your property or in your neighborhood that places distance between you and the flames.
- Grab important documents: Assign this task to a member of your household, and have all items, including birth certificates, insurance policies, passports and homeownership information, ready to grab in an accessible, fire-safe container.
- Do practice drills: At least twice per year, activate the fire alarm to time how quickly your family departs wherever they are and arrives at the designated meeting place.
- Safety tips: Stress that all family members remain outdoors at your designated spot until the fire department arrives and puts out the flames. No one, especially children, should attempt to go back inside the burning building.
Those who live in apartments and high-rise condominium communities may need to take additional steps:
- Know where the stairs are in your building, and avoid taking the elevator, unless directed by the fire department.
- If a warning has yet to sound, prepare to pull the fire alarm from a common area on your way out to alert your neighbors and the fire department.
- Have a plan to seal yourself in place, including closing door cracks and vents with towels. Have a flashlight or other notification system to help firefighters identify your location.
Practicing Your Fire Safety Plan
So that everyone becomes confident in your plan, be alert to the following as you conduct your drills:
- Hold your practice drills at night, so you can see how quickly children and older family members awaken and respond to the alarm. If they're slow or unresponsive, include waking them up in your plan.
- Observe how your family members escape from the second floor, including through traditional means (stairs and the front or back door) and less traditional (using a safety ladder).
- Require your family members to vary their routes each time.
- Request your family members crawl to practice avoiding toxic smoke during their exits.
- If someone takes longer, identify why - for example, routes with multiple obstructions or stuck doors - and address these concerns as soon as possible.
Make Your Fire Safety Plan With Fire Safety USA
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