Teaching Fire Safety
If your home were to catch fire, do you know how you would escape? In the event of a fire, every second counts. As such, everyone in your household must always be prepared. Every home should have a fire escape plan. Escape plans help you get out of your home quickly. In less than 30 seconds, a small fire can get completely out of control and turn into a major fire. It only takes minutes for a house to fill with thick black smoke and become engulfed in flames.
Do the youngest and oldest members of your family know what to do in case of a fire?
Accidental home fires can catch people totally by surprise. Without an escape plan in place, you are placing the lives of everybody in your home in jeopardy. Plan your actions before a fire happens – draw your escape plan before it’s too late. Prepare and practice your fire escape plan twice a year with everyone in your household. It’s also a good idea to review your plan with overnight guests.
When preparing your escape plan, you should consider the following:
- Draw a map of each level of your home and show all doors and windows.
- Find two ways to get out of each room.
- Make sure all doors and windows that lead outside open easily.
- Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them.
- Teach children not to hide from firefighters.
- Practice your fire escape plan at night and during the daytime.
In the event of a fire, get out fast (you may have only a short period of time to escape safely). Take the safest exit route; if you have to exit through smoke, remember to stay low (i.e., crawl out of the room).
As a part of your fire escape plan, designate a meeting location a safe distance in front of your home. For example, meet under a specific tree or at the end of the driveway to make sure everyone has gotten out safely. Make sure everyone in your home knows how to call 9-1-1 and/or your local emergency number. Once you’re safely out of a burning building, never go back inside for any reason. If someone is missing, or pets are trapped inside your home, tell the firefighters immediately. They are trained and equipped to perform rescues safely.
We want to make sure homeowners are aware of the dangers associated with fires in the home. What can begin as a small fire can quickly get out of hand, leaving you little to no time to think and react. Planning ahead will enable you to react more quickly and can help to save your life as well as the lives of everyone else in your home. Please just take a few minutes for this worthwhile cause. It truly could be a life-or-death matter.