If your fire alarm went off in the middle of the night, your house was filling with smoke, and your family were frightened and confused, what would you do? It’s understandable that everyone would be panicking in this scenario, however, if you had formulated a family fire escape route plan in advance, things would be a lot more orderly and calm.
Developing a home fire escape plan seems to be something not many families have actually considered, as according to the American Red Cross –
- Only 18 percent of families with kids between the ages of three and 17, have ever practices a home fire drill.
- 30 percent of families with kids have talked about, and identified a safe place to meet up outside of their home, should a fire occur.
- 48 percent of parents have discussed fire safety with their families.
- Worryingly, with all these figures in mind, 69 percent of parents think their children would know what to do in the event of a house fire.
Fire safety can’t be left to chance. Alarms.org has put together a comprehensive infographic on fire safety tips here.
It’s so very important for your family’s safety that you develop a family escape plan sooner, rather than later.
What should a family fire escape route plan include?
Making a fire escape plan is probably something that’s pretty new to you, so what should it include?
- Identify a safe place you can all meet up outside of your home, should a fire occur. Directly in front of your home is ideal.
- Know of two ways to vacate all rooms in the house, and all doors and windows should be openable and accessible.
- Figure out as many ways as you can in order to exit the stairways, if you live in an apartment, and never use the elevator in the event of fire.
- Ensure your home is kitted out with smoke alarms, and remember to press the ‘test’ button on a regular monthly basis to test that they’re working.
- Buy escape ladders if you live of a house with two or more floors, and keep them near your windows. It’s also important that you have some trial runs, so you learn how to use them.
- Keep on practicing your home drill until everyone can manage it under two minutes.
- Ensure every family member knows how to call 911.
- Practice low crawling with your family. Remember smoke rises, so staying low during a house fire is imperative.
- Teach everyone in the household how to stop, drop, and roll in the event of their clothes catching fire.
The thought of a fire can be very frightening for both you and your children, however, through following the steps above, you can ensure that everyone has peace of mind that they can escape from a house fire safely. In addition, be sure that your homeowners insurance policy is up to date and adequate by contacting bolt insurance Agency.
