Today’s Fire Prevention Week Tip: Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.

October 8-14 is #FirePreventionWeek!

Today's tip: Fire won’t wait. Plan your escape.

Today’s homes burn faster than ever. You may have as little as two minutes (or even less time) to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Your ability to get out of a home during a fire depends on early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning. If a fire breaks out in your home, everyone needs to know what to do and where to go.

Here are some simple steps you can take in creating and practicing a family fire escape plan. 

Safety Tips

• MAKE a home escape plan. Draw a map of your home showing all doors and windows. Discuss the plan with everyone in your home.
• KNOW at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows leading outside open easily.
• HAVE an outside meeting place (like a tree, light pole or mailbox) a safe distance from the home where everyone should meet.
• PRACTICE your home fire drill at night and during the day with everyone in your home, twice a year.

If the alarm sounds...

• If the smoke alarm sounds, GET OUT AND STAY OUT. Never go back inside for people or pets.
• If you have to escape through smoke, GET LOW AND GO under the smoke to your way out.
• CALL the fire department from outside your home.