Home Fire Safety Plan

Each family member must know what to do in the event of a fire in the home. A house fire requires immediate, get-out-now, evacuation. There is no time to collect the family photo albums or pets. You need to get everyone out NOW!

Regardless of the cause of the fire, a home may be filled with smoke. This is a very dangerous situation. Family members may be unable to see very well. The smoke and toxic gases may cause dizziness and disorientation. In the confusion, one can easily become lost or trapped in the home. Family members must understand that their safety depends upon quickly leaving the home. It has been proven that exit drills reduce chances of panic and injury in fires and that trained and informed people have a much better chance to survive fires in their home.

Plan Your Escape

Once a fire has started, there is no time to plan how to get out. Sit down with your family today, and make a step-by-step plan for escaping a fire.

Bedroom doors should be closed while people are sleeping. It takes fire 10 to 15 minutes to burn through a wooden door. That's 10 to 15 minutes more for the inhabitant to escape. Next, family members should visit each bedroom and figure out two escape routes:

• The normal exit
• The other exit through a door or a window

Jammed windows should be identified and repaired

Crawl low under smoke

Each member of the family should understand the importance of crawling low under smoke. Smoke and heat rise so the best place to find fresher, cooler air is near the floor. When a person is caught in a building filled with smoke, they should drop on hands and knees and crawl to the nearest exit.

Test all closed doors before opening

Feel the back of the door. If it is hot, don't open it. Turn and go to the second route of exit. If the door is not hot, open slowly but be prepared to slam it closed again if there are flames.

If you become trapped

Since doors hold back smoke and firefighters are adept at rescue, the chances of survival are excellent. Close doors between you and the smoke. Stuff the cracks and cover vents to keep smoke out. If there's a phone, call in your exact location to the fire department even if they are on the scene. Wait at the window and signal with a sheet or flashlight or something visible.

Special provisions

Infants, young children, people who are disabled or elderly who may need additional help when escaping. These provisions should be included in the home fire escape plan and discussed with family members. If necessary contact your local fire department for advice.

When afraid, children commonly seek sheltered places such as a closet or under the bed. Encourage them to exit outside. Do not allow them to hide. Make sure children can operate the windows, descend a ladder, or lower themselves to the ground through a window. (Slide out on the stomach, feet first. Hang on with both hands. Bend the knees when landing.) Lower children to the ground before you exit from the window. They may panic and not follow if an adult goes first.

Family Fire Practice

• Have everyone in bed and appoint one child to be the 'alerter' that smells smoke first. He should start the evacuation by alerting other family members.
• Have everyone blindfolded to simulate a smoky, nighttime fire.
• Stay low to the ground or crawling when moving to escape some smoke and heat.

• Cover mouth with a cloth handkerchief.
• Feel doors before opening - if the door is hot, go another way.
• Pretend someone's clothes catch fire and help them stop, drop, and roll.
• Close doors behind you to slow the spread of fire.
• Gather at meeting place and then pretend to call the fire department.
• Other things to do periodically with the family:
• Recite emergency contact numbers
• Review location of and how to shut off utilities
• Practice exiting from every room

Practice evacuating at least twice a year - summer and winter

To greatly improve your families chance of survival:

• Install smoke detectors on every floor and in every bedroom. Check them monthly.
• Store a flashlight and slippers close to each bed.
• Put an Emergency escape ladders in each upper floor bedroom.
• Arrange furniture under windows to aid exit.
• Have everyone memorize a meeting place safe place to gather after escaping the house. This place should be visible to arriving firefighters
• Make a fire escape plan for every room of you home
• Practice your escape plan monthly
• Have children practice saying the fire department number, the family name, and street address into the phone.