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Once a fire starts in your home, there's no time to plan an escape. A home can fill with thick black smoke and be engulfed in flames in minutes. Most house fires also occur at night, when people are the least prepared. That's why it's important to create a home fire escape plan for your home and family. Practice your exit drills in the home often with every member of your household. Advanced planning will ensure that you and your family are ready for any fire emergency.

Create a Home Fire Escape Plan

To create your very own home fire escape plan, follow these steps:

1. Draw a floor plan of your home on a piece of grid paper.
2. Choose and mark down a meeting place (e.g., mailbox or street light) a safe distance away from your home where everyone can gather.
3. Mark down all doors, windows, stairways, porches, porch roofs and other areas where you could escape from.
4. Draw arrows to show your escape route from every room in your home. Look for the easiest and quickest way to get out of each room.
5. Use a different color to show an alternative exit route from each room in your home. You’ll use this as your backup plan in case your primary escape route is blocked or unsafe to use. 

Practice Your Home Fire Escape Plan 

Your fire escape plan may look great on paper, but does it really work? Practicing exit drills in the home will allow you to test the plan and make adjustments as needed. Here are some tips to help you practice.

• Review your escape plan with everyone in your home, including children.
• Appoint a "fire chief" to hold realistic fire drills in the home.
• Practice your escape plan both during the day and night.
• Keep a close eye on children during drills.
• Make sure everyone in the household can unlock all doors and windows quickly.
• Practice crawling on the ground to simulate staying below smoke in your home.
• Close the doors as you leave (this can slow the spread of a fire).
• Go directly to your meeting place. Make sure everyone is accounted for.
• Pretend some exits are blocked by the fire and practice alternative escape routes.
• Incorporate an escape ladder into your escape plan if you live in a two story home.
• If there are infants, older adults, or family members with mobility limitations, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them in an emergency.
• Keep slippers and a flashlight next to your bed in case you need to escape at night.
• Practice your home fire escape plan at least twice a year.

During a real fire in your home, remember to get out first and then call 9-1-1 for help. Never go back into a burning building for any reason. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform rescues. If you become trapped inside, close all doors between you and the fire. Stuff towels or other objects in cracks around the doors to keep smoke out. Wait at the window, signal for help, and call 9-1-1.