Escape Planning

fire escape planning, mother and child going over escape plans

When emergencies occur, minutes or even seconds can be the difference between life and death. You should always have an escape strategy for any building you enter.


Escape Planning in Commercial Buildings

o Any time you enter a commercial building that you are unfamiliar with, you should make a mental note of where the nearest marked exits are.
o The door you enter a building through may not be your closest emergency exit.

Escape Planning in Your Home

o Make a map of your home. Mark a door and a window that can be used to get out of every room.
o Choose a meeting place outside in front of your home that everyone in the home is familiar with. This is where everyone can meet once they've escaped and where firefighters can see you and know your are out. Draw a picture of your outside meeting place on your escape plan.
o Write the emergency telephone (911) number for fire, ems, and law enforcement on your escape plan.
o Keep your escape plan on the refrigerator, and practice every six months and incorporate it into smoke alarm testing.

 

 

 Each year more than 2,500 people die and 12,600 are injured in home fires in the United States. Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. If there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast and you need smoke alarms to give you time to get out.

 

Here's what you need to know!

o A closed door will slow the spread of smoke, heat and fire. Install smoke alarms in every sleeping room and outside each separate sleeping area. Install alarms on every level of the home. 
o Large homes may need extra smoke alarms.
o Choose interconnected smoke alarms, so when one sounds, they all sound.
o Make sure your smoke alarms work. Your family is not safe if they can't hear the smoke alarms.
o Test smoke alarms every month by pressing the test button.
o Replace 9-volt smoke alarm batteries when you change your clocks for daylight savings time or at least once each year.
o Smoke alarms do not last forever. Get new smoke alarms every 10 years.
o When you hear a smoke alarm, you may have less than 2 minutes to get everyone outside and safe.