Designing Your Home Fire Escape Plan

10/7/2019 (Permalink)

One of the best things you can do is practice your fire escape plan

Tips For Designing a Good Escape Plan

In addition to installing smoke alarms, one of the most important fire preparation steps you can take is creating a fire escape plan. A well-planned strategy is critical since you generally have only one to two minutes to safely escape. Here are some tips for designing a good escape plan.

Make a Plan

The hardest part of creating your strategy is starting. Many people fail to plan because they don’t think a home fire will ever happen to them. Even if you never experience the devastating effects of a fire, being prepared for one will give you peace of mind. Here are some suggestions for starting your plan:

• Walk through your home and identify all exits.
  
• Draw a floor plan marking all possible exits.
• Identify two exits from each room of your home.
  
• Mark each smoke alarm on the floor plan map.
  
  
  

When making your fire escape plan, make sure infants or those family members with mobility limitations are especially considered. Assign one person to help each individual that has special needs.

Know Important Details

A home fire spreads quickly so it’s critical to know important fire preparation details. First, family members should be familiar with the sound of the smoke alarm. Second, choose an outside meeting place where all family members should congregate immediately following a fire. Third, make sure that your house number is visible from the road so that emergency professionals can find your St. Charles, MO, home.

Practice Your Plan

One of the best things you can do is practice your fire escape plan. Practice should be done at least twice a year and without advance notice. The goal is to see how quickly your family responds to an alarm. Remember to be sensitive to children so that they don’t become frightened easily. The goal is proper education, not fear.

Proper fire preparation includes designing an escape plan. Draw a floor plan of your home and mark all available exits. Educate all family members about your plan. If you ever need assistance after a home fire, there are fire restoration specialists who can help you.