Home Safety Plan

The following are recommendations for developing a Family Home Safety Plan, each home has a variety of unique characteristics that require each homeowner to develop a plan best suited for their Family & Home.

Things to consider when developing your Home Safety Plan:

• Have a "Family Meeting" try to make it fun and serious at the same time, this can actually be a great family experience.

• Discuss dialing 911 in an emergency situation, practice staying calm and providing the correct information.

• Make sure everyone understands to get out of the house immediately.

• Determine the closest exit route for each room.

• Discuss and review alternate escape routes in all rooms.

• Determine a meeting place outside the home.

• Install an adequate amount of Smoke Detectors and regularly test them

• Allow everyone to hear the sound of the smoke detector alarm to familiarize them with the sound.• Practice the plan, set off the Smoke Detector and have everyone practice their escape routes.

• Determine how often your family will review and practice the plan, a minimum of semi annual practicing is recommended.

• Install Fire Department Window identifiers for children's rooms.

• Install approved Type-A B C fire extinguishers on every floor of the house and educate everyone on the proper operation.

• Locked doors can be tough to unlock in a smoke filled room. Be sure to install door locks that can be easily unlocked in an emergency. Doors that require a key to exit may be trouble during a fire.

• Make sure each member of the family practices unlocking the door.

• Stay low, heat and smoke rise to the top of the room.

• Learn and practice the stop drop and roll method.

• For multi-story homes a fire escape chain or rope ladder is recommended with sufficient training.

Keep adding to your Family Home Safety Plan and practice often!