1. Get to the Drawing Board
When you create a family fire-escape plan, first make a sketch or obtain the floor plan of the house in which you live. Make sure you draw in all the available escape options like windows, interior and exterior doors. You should also draw in the locations of fire extinguishers, fire escapes and smoke alarms throughout the house. Then, after finishing the drawing, make copies for each family member to post inside the house. During a fire, people can become confused and not remember the layout of the house.
2. Check Your House
Give the house a checkup to make sure all the available exits are clear and that they open easily for fire safety. Go through the house and check every window and door to make sure they open without much effort and are not obstructed. If you need to keep the windows latched for security purposes, or if the house has a burglar bar, verify that latches are easy to open from the inside. Finally, demonstrate how to open each one. Allow each member of your family to open the windows, as this will demonstrate their ability to open these possible fire exits.
3. Plan the Escape
Once you have checked the house and everyone knows the floor plan, you need to establish a plan of escape. There should be a least two separate escape routes out of each room, if possible. In most instances, one is the door and the other is a window. In some rooms like a bathroom, there is only one exit. If there is more than one story to the house, you may need to put a ladder outside the second or third story of the house, so family members can climb down it. Once you have established these escape routes from each room, mark them clearly on the floor plan and meet as a family to go over the entire escape plan for every room.
4. Special Needs Family Members
If there are elderly, special needs or young people in the house, you need to pay special attention to their needs. Depending on how impaired or small each person is, specific plans might be necessary. If the child is an infant or the adult is incapable of getting out on his own, make sure he has a room that is close to an able-bodied adult who can help him escape. In addition, if there are people in the house with hearing impairments, make sure the smoke detectors have visual effects that will alert them to the impending danger of a fire.
5. Practice, Practice, Practice
Practice the escape plan at least twice a year. Practice is important because family members may think they know what to do, but until they actually do it, there is no way to know for sure. Also, if there are children or adults who are heavy sleepers, make sure everyone knows to wake them up in case of a fire. Sometimes, people will just sleep straight through a fire alarm. Finally, have a designated area outside that is a safe distance from any danger, where the entire family can meet. If everyone meets in the same place, then you can know if someone is still inside the house.
