The National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) reports that because fires can spread so rapidly in your home, it could leave you as little as two minutes to escape safely. When a fire starts, it grows in size very quickly and makes it easy to inhale smoke which can be deadly. Discussing the possibilities of a fire in your home is never easy and can be scary to think about, but it’s a worthwhile conversation to have. Implementing an effective escape plan during a fire could save lives.
According to an NFPA survey, only one-third of Americans have both developed and practiced a home fire escape plan. Almost three-quarters of Americans do have an escape plan; however, more than half never practiced it.
Below are some tips for creating a fire escape plan with your family. In addition to these tips, ensure you
have working smoke and check out our blog from yesterday for more information regarding smoke detector installation, inspection and maintenance.
- Get your family together to come up with a plan.
- Walk through the house together and determine the best possible exits and escape routes. Make sure these areas are always unblocked should you need to exit quickly.
- Create a floor plan marking these exits and note the location of all smoke detectors.
- Pick a designated area for everyone to meet outside if a fire were to occur.
- Invest in collapsible ladders to get out of windows that are not on the first floor.
- In case of fire: press your hand against the closed door to feel the temperature. If it is too hot, please a towel or blanket at the bottom of the door to inhibit the entry of smoke into the room. Open a window and exit to the outside. Stay low and crawl to the nearest exit if you have to exit out of a door. Do not take anything with you, exit quickly! However, be sure pets are accounted for if you have any.
- Contact Secure Pacific and learn more about our fire monitoring solutions.