A HOME ESCAPE PLAN
A HOME ESCAPE PLAN is something the whole family must be involved in. Each family member must know what to do in the event of a fire in their home.
A home escape plan must be created and practiced so that each person knows exactly what to do. It also is important to practice Exit Drills in the Home (EDITH).
The first step to creating a home escape plan is to plan ahead. Ensure that your home has working smoke detectors, and test them regularly. This way, family members can be alerted to the presence of smoke or fire before it is too late.
The next step to figure out two escape routes out of every bedroom. The first route being the safest (often times the door) and the second being a window or extra door. Make sure windows and extra doors are not jammed and/or too hard to open. If a window is too high for a child too reach, make sure to figure a way to access it (small stool, toy chest). Also, if your home has bars over the windows consider having them removed and retrofitted with “firesafe bars”. If the window is on a second story, consider purchasing a fire escape ladder and be sure to practice placing it on the window.
After you have identified each escape route, determine where your meeting place will be. It should be stationary and a safe distance from the house. It can be a mailbox, a neighbor’s house, or even a large tree nearby. This is where everyone will meet in the event of a fire. It also prevents family members from wandering around the neighborhood looking for one another, or worse, being tempted to re-enter the burning house for anyone thought to be trapped inside.
Once you have all agreed on the exits and the meeting place, make a floor diagram of your house. Mark all the escape routes, as well as the doors, windows, halls, and stairs. After, have everyone act like they are asleep in their beds and hold a mock fire drill.
Here are some important points:
- Smoke is the silent killer; make sure you crawl low under smoke
- Before opening any door, feel it with the back of your hand to determine if there is fire on the other side. If it is hot, DO NOT open the door. If it is not hot, open the door a few inches to make sure there is no danger.
- Make accommodations for members needing special attention (disabled, elderly, infants, and toddlers). When young children are afraid, they often seek sheltered areas, so be sure to encourage them to exit outside.
- Have children practice calling the fire department or other emergency phone numbers. Make sure they know their own phone number, home address, and family name.
A good way to practice the effectiveness of a home fire escape plan is to position each family member in his or her bed, turn all the lights off, and activate the smoke detector by depressing the test switch on the front of the detector. Each family member should help "awaken" the others by yelling the alert. Family members should exit their rooms according to the plan, crawl low under smoke, practice feeling doors for heat, and meet in the designated location outside the home.
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