Home Fire Safety And Escape Plans
According to the United States Fire Administration, house fires are the cause of thousands of injuries and deaths each year. Every family should have an emergency escape plan to get everyone out safely. Take the time to sit down with the members of your family and work out a plan for getting out of the house quickly and safely. Fires can spread very rapidly to time is of the essence.
When you discuss your plan for vacating a house fire, you will want to assign tasks expected of each family member, as well as at least two of the safest escape routes for each room. You will also want everyone to know they are to meet at a pre-arranged spot once they are safely out of the house. Family members should be told they are not to attempt to save personal possessions. After all, they are the most valuable things in the house and their safety should come first. It is also important for someone to loudly yell “Fire!” to alert other occupants of the home, before running or crawling to a save exit.
If you are living in a multi-family building such as an apartment or condo, it’s important for everyone to know where the fire exits are located. This is something the property owner or manager should tell the tenants when they move in. If they don’t, you should take the time to ask or to figure it out for yourself. Having a good escape plan can make the difference between an escape to safety or a tragedy. Whatever your escape plan may be it’s important for you and your family to practice getting out of the house safely at least once a month. This will keep the plan fresh in everyone’s mind.
Along with your plan to get everyone out safely, you will want to notify your local fire department. Although the fire department will usually be called by a neighbor you should have a plan for calling them when you are all safely out of the house. Remember: Never stop to call the fire department before you are certain that everyone is out safely. When everyone is out and gathered at your pre-arranged place you can then make the call.
The best way to prepare an evacuation plan is to sit down and draw out a floor plan showing all the windows and doors of your home. The exits should all be marked in bright colors so they are easy for everyone to see. Many fires break out while children are home alone so the children should told exactly what they should do to protect themselves, along with a list of emergency phone numbers. Also, if you leave children alone in the house, a neighbor should be told they are being left alone there, so the neighbor can check in on them from time to time, and will know there are children in the house in case of a fire.
Education and preparation are the best safety measures you can take. If everyone knows what to do in case of a fire, you can greatly reduce the chance of injuries and fatalities from a fire in your home.
