Everyone in your household needs to know exactly what to do and where they should go if a fire breaks out inside of your home—because once the smoke alarm shrills they may have only minutes to exit and get to safety. Consider these three tips for how to escape from a house fire.

 

Make an Escape Plan

Create a map of your home that depicts all of its doors and windows. If it’s possible, identify at least two ways to get out of every room, and verify that all doors and windows that lead outside are easy to open. Discuss the best escape routes with everyone in your household.

 

FACT: Only one in three American households has developed and practiced a fire escape plan for their home, according to a survey by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

 

Designate a Meeting Place Outdoors

Establish a place for you and your family members to meet outdoors after they have evacuated the house—a place like a light pole, a mailbox, or a tree. Make sure the location is a safe distance away from your residence.

 

Practice Your Escape Plan

Essentially, this is a fire drill. Practice your escape plan with every member of your household twice each year—during the day and at night. Also, practice using different routes out of your home. As you leave rooms, close doors behind you. Show young children how to escape without the assistance of an adult in case you aren’t able to help them in the event of a real fire.

 

FACTS: Closed doors may help slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire. You should install smoke alarms on each level of your home, inside of every bedroom, and outside of each separate sleeping area. Your alarms should be interconnected, so that when one smoke alarm triggers, they all do.

 

In Case of a Real Fire…

If your smoke detector alarms, evacuate your home as quickly as you can and stay out. If you have to travel through smoke to exit, get as low as you can in order to be beneath the smoke. Once you’re outside and at a safe distance from your home, call the fire department.

 

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