CAN YOUR FAMILY SURVIVE A FIRE IN YOUR HOME?

More that 50% of home fire deaths occur between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., when most people are sleeping. Pre-school children and older adults over 65 years of age are twice as likely to die in a home fire than any other age group.

It is not enough to have a smoke alarm! Protect your family by planning and practicing a home fire escape plan!

 

HOW TO MAKE “THE FIRE ESCAPE PLAN”

Use a graph to draw a floor plan of your home or apartment. Draw all floors in your home, including all windows and doors. Label each sleeping area. Show stairways and number of stairs at each stairway. Show two ways out of each room by using arrows.

After you have drawn your floor plan, discuss the escape routes with everyone in your home.

  • If your fire escape window has security bars or a gate, make sure it is approved for fire escape windows.
  • Teach everyone in your home how to unlock and open windows and doors.
  • Use only thumb-turn type door locks on the interior side of exit doors. Locks that require a key to open from the inside are illegal and unsafe.
  • Keep stairways and exits clear of clutter and storage. (no storage on building fire escapes)
  • Agree on a meeting place outside your home so you will know everyone is out safe.

NOW YOU HAVE A FIRE DRILL

  • Now that you have a plan, practice the plan with a realistic fire drill. Get the entire family involved!
  • Since most home fires occur in the early morning hours, have your family members pretend they are sleeping.
  • Make the house dark as if it was smoke filled.
  • Begin the fire drill with the sounding of your smoke alarm, making sure everyone can clearly hear and recognize the sound.

INCLUDE IN YOUR DRILL

  • The responsibility of waking a child or older adult.
  • Having family members practice escaping through smoke by crawling low on hands and knees.
  • Having family members close doors behind them.
  • Reminding family members not to stop to get dressed or collect possessions.
  • Follow your planned escape all the way through to the meeting place.

REMEMBER THESE STEPS

  • DRAW A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN
  • DISCUSS THE ESCAPE ROUTES WITH EVERY MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY
  • CONDUCT A REAL FIRE DRILL