In the event of a fire, time is the biggest enemy and every second counts. Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you as little as one or two minutes to escape safely once the alarm sounds. With a smart and well-thought-out plan in place, you can be one step ahead of the unexpected when you may not have the time or ability to think things through.
Creating Your Home Fire Escape Plan
- Draw your home floor plan and label all the rooms and identify the doors and windows.
- Plan 2 escape routes from every room— provide alternatives for anyone with a disability.
- Agree on a meeting place for everyone to gather after you have escaped.
Practice Your Home Fire Escape Plan
- Review your escape plan with everyone living in your home, including children.
- Sound the smoke alarm.
- Practice crawling low beneath the smoke.
- Remember to check doors for heat with your hand— if a door is hot, do not open it.
- Close the doors as you leave.
- Go directly to your meeting place— don’t stop to find your pets or valuables.
- Remember to get out first, then call 9-1-1 for help.
- Practice your plan at least twice a year.
Additional Tips
- If your clothes catch fire, stop, drop and roll until the flames are extinguished.
- Replace any smoke alarms older than 10 years.
- Change the batteries in smoke alarms every 6 months (when you change your clocks would be a great time).
- Test alarms monthly by pushing the “test” button for 3-5 seconds.
If You Live in an Apartment Building
- Learn and practice your building’s evacuation plan.
- Know primary and secondary exits.
- Leave immediately if you hear the fire alarm.
- NEVER use elevators during a fire.