Home Escape Planning

  • Have an escape route for each area of the home and a designated meeting place outside.
  • Draw a map -- one that's easy for all members of the family and visitors to understand.
  • When planning for a family with young children, be sure to teach them not to hide from fire or smoke and to go to firefighters who are there to help them.
  • Multi-storied buildings are of special concern. Ensure that everyone is familiar with how to use an escape ladder if necessary.
  • Make sure every sleeping room has two means of escape in the event of a fire. Windows provide a secondary means of escape.
  • Everyone must understand that once you escape, you must never reenter a burning building -- no matter what you might have left behind.
  • Call emergency responders (911) from a neighbor's house.
  • Make sure to practice your escape plan periodically. It will be easier to remember in case of an emergency.

     

    floor[1].gif (12857 bytes) Click here and print this out to help draw up an escape plan. Do this for each floor of your home.