Exit Drills in the Home
It is important to have a plan to safely exit your home in case of a fire because when disaster strikes, you will not have time to come up with one. Review these Exit Drills in the House from the :
- Design a home escape plan by drawing a map of your residence that shows all exit paths, doorways and windows. Use to create your own map.
- Discuss your home escape plan with everyone in your household.
- Practice the plan night and day with everyone in your home twice a year.
- Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily.
- Have a meeting place (something permanent, like a tree, light pole or mailbox) a safe distance from the home where everyone should meet.
- Push the smoke alarm button to start the practice drill.
- Get out fast.
- Practice using different ways out.
- Teach children to escape on their own in case you can鈥檛 help them.
- Close doors behind you as you leave.
- Go to your outside meeting place. Get out and stay out. Never go back inside for people, pets or valuables.
- Use your second way out in the case of an actual fire if smoke is blocking your door or the first way out.
- Get low and go under the smoke to get out safely if you have to escape through smoke.
- Feel the knob and door before opening a door. If they are hot, use your second way out.
- Consider getting escape ladders listed by a recognized testing laboratory for escaping from second and third floor windows if all other exits are blocked.
- Make sure the ladder fits the window.
- To avoid injury, only use the ladder in a real emergency.