PRACTICE YOUR ESCAPE PLAN
"PRACTICE YOUR ESCAPE PLAN"
theme for 2007 Fire Prevention Week
Did you know only 23% of households have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan?
How to make your own home escape plan.
Draw a simple floor plan of your home showing all the exits including windows. Sit down with everyone in your home, talk about the two best ways to get out of each room, and mark those exits on your plan. Make sure all exits are clear. If you have security bars, make sure they have a quick-release devices on the inside. Decide on a safe meeting place outside the home where everyone will gather after they escape a fire. Be sure everyone knows the emergency phone number for your local fire department. Also make sure everyone knows the sound of the smoke alarm and when it sounds to get out and stay out.
Now Practice it!
Send everyone to his or her bed room and sound the smoke alarm. Go directly to your meeting and make sure everyone has escaped. Now close off some exits and pretend they're blocked by smoke or flame. Remember in a real fire, you should call the fire department from a neighbor's phone or a mobile phone only after you have left the building.
In a real fire, you must move quickly, carefully, and calmly.