What should you do when your house suddenly catches fire? Fire is extremely dangerous and can spread to all the areas of a house within just a few minutes. To escape the fire you should have a home fire evacuation plan. What are some things to keep in mind about escaping a fire?.
Your Fire Evacuation Plan Must Include Everyone:
If the house has just two members, then escaping out through a main route is not very difficult. But if you have a larger family living with you, with children and/or elderly people, then your evacuation plan must be flexible for all. You must take into account all the requirements of the young children and elderly family members who may not be very mobile. You should assign a person who can specifically help the elders and the children. Have a backup person designated in case the assigned person is not available during the fire.
Always Have Multiple Escape Routes:
You should inspect all the rooms in the house, checking out the number of windows, doors, and passageways, as well as balconies, so you’re able to plan out multiple routes of escape. Moreover, you can install emergency exit windows/doors if needed.
You Should Involve Children In Planning:
It’s important to listen to children and involve them in the planning of the evacuation plan. In this way, children feel included when figuring out the various exit doors and windows that they can use during a fire. Inform them about different locations of smoke detectors and emergency exits, too.
Choose a meeting spot:
Decide on a specific meeting place outside the house. In this way, you’ll be visible to the people and emergency services who are willing to help, and everyone will “know where to go.”
Check Smoke Alarms And Detectors:
If some of your smoke alarms and detectors are not working, get them repaired immediately or replace them with new ones. According to the National Fire Protection Association, it is recommended to install a smoke alarm in every sleeping room, outside each sleeping room, and on every level of the house.
Have A Backup Plan:
You might have a plan but the fire is “in the way.” In such a situation you can ask everyone to follow the backup plan. Your backup plan must include a different escape route. For example, if doors get blocked, family members may need to escape through the windows.
Utilize Mock Drills:
Have all family members actively participate in mock drills. Practicing how to escape the house if there’s a fire should instill confidence in family members, knowing that they can easily escape without getting hurt. Practicing an escape utilizing a mock drill is a good way to prepare people “just in case” a fire were to ever occur in the house.
Summary:
Imagine that there’s a fire in the house but no one has ever even thought about how to escape. You don’t want chaos and/or death! Therefore, it’s so important to design a home fire evacuation plan and ensure that all family members know about it and can use it. Being prepared makes the potential fire situation more manageable.