Escaping a House Fire: 10 Tips for a Family Fire Escape Plan

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Did you know that more than 350,000 families experience house fire incidents every year, on average, in the US?

 

While many house fire incidents can be prevented, there is a fairly large amount of fire incidents that occur unpredictably. No matter how they occur, house fires cannot only damage your valuables, but they can also put the lives of you and your loved ones at risk. Research has found that there is a 1 in 10 chance of someone getting injured in a house fire incident. This is why it is incredibly important for everyone to have a fire escape plan. Do you have one?

 

If you’re like most people, you wouldn’t. According to the American Red Cross, only 26% of families have a fire escape plan.

 

Don’t risk the safety of you and your family. Prepare and practice a house fire escape plan to help everyone learn how to save their lives in case of an emergency situation. Here are a few tips for creating a solid fire escape plan.

 

Even if you’re one of the 26% of families that have a fire emergency plan, these tips will help you ensure that your plan isn’t missing out on anything.

 

  1. Draw a detailed map of your home, particularly highlighting all the exit points — doors and windows. Mark the smoke alarms also.
  2. Identify at least two exit points in every room, ensuring all the doors and windows are properly functioning and each member of your family can open them.
  3. If you have a double story house, always have a ladder or rope available for safe emergency exits via windows. Also, make sure to store them at a place where they are easily accessible.
  4. Install smoke alarms all over the house, particularly in the kitchen, bedrooms, and hallways. For enhanced security, have an interconnected system of smoke alarms, so that all the alarms go off if one is triggered.
  5. Identify an assembly point outside your home — at a safe distance.
  6. Figure out who will assist children and/or elderly members of the family in case of a fire emergency to avoid any confusion if it ever arises.
  7. Teach children how to call 911 and what to say in case a fire breaks out in your home.
  8. Make sure everyone in the family knows when and how to safely escape the house in a house fire incident.
  9. Consider different scenarios and plan for a safe escape in each.
  10.  Learn how to keep yourself safe if the fire doesn’t allow escaping and call for help.

 

These are some basic, crucial tips to remember when creating a fire escape plan. Make sure all the family members are a part of the process and have a drill at least twice a year to make sure everyone remembers the fire escape plan. Consider Millennium Fire & Security, Inc. for advanced and reliable fire alarm systems. Safety is our number one priority.

 

Source: https://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Data-research-and-tools/Building-and-Life-Safety/Home-Structure-Fires