Escape Artist: Emergency Escape Plan

Get your family together and draw a floor plan of your home, marking all windows and doors. Use the fire escape plan worksheet to draw your plan.

Know two ways out of each room in case your main route is blocked by smoke or flames. The first way out should be the door, and the second could be a window. If you can't avoid smoke, crawl low under it on your hands and knees.

Make sure windows can be opened easily. Windows or doors with security bars need to have quick-release devices that everyone can operate.

Agree on an outside meeting place where every family member will wait for the fire department. This way, you can count heads and tell fire fighters if anyone is missing. Mark your meeting place on the floor plan.

Install smoke alarms in or near every sleeping area and on each level of your home. Test the alarms once a month. Think about installing a home fire sprinkler system.

Practice your plan at least twice a year. If you live in an apartment building, use stairways to escape, not the elevator! Some high rise buildings have escape plans that require you to stay where you are and wait for help - ask your building manager or your local fire department to find out.

And finally: once out, stay out! Once out of your home, call the fire department from the nearest phone and don't go back inside for any reason. If people are trapped inside, fire fighters have the best chance of rescuing them.

Take a moment and practice your home fire survival plan. It could be a lifesaving family project!

*Developed in collaboration with NFPA

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