Plan your Escape


When fire breaks out, many people panic and do not know what to do. If you plan and practice a fire drill in your home, you can greatly increase your chances of making it safely out of a home fire.

  • Plan out 2 ways to escape from each room in your home.fire_plan
  • Talk with your family about what to do.
  • Draw your plan out on paper.
  • Make sure doorways and windows for escape plans are clear and can be opened.
  • Establish a family meeting place away from the home, somewhere visible to the emergency service workers.
  • Teach everyone to “Get Out and Stay Out”.
  • Do not go back in for pets, toys, or family members.
  • Teach children...DO NOT HIDE! You can not hide from a fire.
  • If you must exit from a closed door, remember to test the door knob and door with the back of your hand. If it is cool, open carefully. If it is hot, find another exit route.
  • Teach children to escape on their own. They should not wait until a parent comes to help.
  • Establish a plan for elderly or small children that may need help escaping from the home.
  • Identify your home with address labels clearly, so emergency workers can find your home.
  • Teach all children in the home to call 911 and give your address. In a fire, they would need to do this from a neighbor's house.
  • Practice a fire escape plan in your home every 6 months!
  • When practicing remember to: Stay low and crawl, exit from the nearest exit, go to family meeting place, call 911, give address, and stay out! Talk about your fire drill with your family afterwards.