Household Fire Escape Plans

If a fire occurred in your home tonight, would your family get out safely? Everyone must know what to do and where to go when the smoke alarm sounds. Take a few minutes with everyone in your household to make a home fire escape plan, following the instructions below.

1. Draw the floor plan of your Home                                                

                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                  
2.  Include all possible emergency exits                                              
                                                                                                                 
    Draw in all the doors, windows and stairways. This will show you and your family all possible escape routes at a glance. Include any features, such as the roof of a garage or porch, that would help in your escape.
                                                                                                               
3. Show two ways out of every room, if possible.  
                              
    The door will be the main exit from each room. However, if the door is blocked by smoke or fire, identify an alternate escape route, which could be a window.   Make sure that all windows can open easily and that everyone knows how to escape through them to safety. If windows have security bars, equip them with quick-releasing devices.               

4. Does anyone need help to escape?

    Decide in advance who will assist the very young, older adults or people with disabilities in your household. A few minutes of planning will save valuable seconds in a real emergency.

5.  Choose a meeting place outside 
    
    Choose a meeting place a safe distance from your home that everyone will remember. A tree, street light or a neighbour’s home are allgood choices. In case of fire, everyone will go directly to this meeting place so they can beaccounted for.

6. Call the fire department from outside your home

    Don't waste valuble seconds trying calling the fire deparment from inside your home. Once you have safely escaped, call the fire department from a cell phone or your nieghbors phone.                                                                                                      

7. Practice your escape

    Review the plan with everyone in your home, walk through the escape routes for each room with the entire family.  This is an excellent time to check your escape routes to make sure your exits are opperable and practical.

THINGS TO REMEMBER

• Two ways out of every room, if possible
• Hold a fire drill twice per year
• Install smoke alarms on everylevel of your home and outside all sleeping areas

Click here for a blank printable escape plan worksheet

This plan may be submitted to the Yorkton Fire Protective Services for review and comments.