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Do you know what to do if there is
a fire in your home? You can survive a fire in your home if you plan
and practice your escape! Each family member must know what to do in the event of a fire in
your home. Unless it is a small fire that can be easily controlled,
all of you should evacuate your home immediately.
Most residential fires occur between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. Deaths from
residential fires occur in greatest numbers between midnight and 4
a.m., when most people are asleep. An average of 800 fires strike
residential buildings each day in the United States. More than 6,500
people die each year from fire—more than half of them children and
senior citizens. The majority of these deaths are in home fires.
Immediate exit is critical to survival. Fire doubles in size every
minute. Your home will fill with smoke very rapidly. Most people who
die in home fires die from smoke. Smoke causes dizziness and
disorientation. It is also impossible to see through smoke. In the
confusion, one can easily become lost or trapped in the home
What you can do
Install and maintain your smoke alarms
Aside from installing an automatic fire sprinkler system, smoke
alarms are the single most important thing you can do to save lives
in the event of a fire. Half of home fire deaths occur in the very
small percentage of homes without smoke alarms. Install smoke alarms
on every floor of your home and near or inside all bedrooms. Test
your smoke alarms once a month. Replace alarm batteries at least
once a year—a good time to do it is when you reset your clocks for
daylight savings time. Replace any smoke detector that is more than
10 years old.
Plan your escape
Family members must understand that their safety depends upon
quickly leaving the home. It has been proven that exit drills reduce
chances of panic and injury in fires and that trained and informed
people have a much better chance to survive fires in their home. A
home escape plan—known as EDITH (exit drills in
the home)—must be created and practiced so that each
person knows exactly what to do if a fire occurs.
Draw a floor plan of your home. Show two ways out of each room.
Discuss escape routes with everyone in your home. VERY IMPORTANT:
Agree on a meeting place outside where everyone will gather once
you've escaped. When firefighters arrive, it is critical they know
if anyone is inside the burning structure.
Practice
Practice! Hold home fire drills at least twice a year. Ensure that
smoke alarms alert everyone sleeping in your home. Make drills
realistic by pretending some escape paths are blocked by smoke and
fire.
Be prepared
Teach everyone in your household how to unlock and open all windows
and doors. If your windows have security bars, equip them with
quick-release devices. Keep stairways and exits clear and free from
clutter.
Remember: NEVER go back into a burning building.
If you live in an apartment building.
Learn and practice your building's evacuation plan. Leave
immediately if you hear a smoke alarm. Know the location of all
building exits and fire alarms. Use the stairs—NEVER use elevators
during a fire. Report any locked or blocked exits to your building's
management.
Escape tips
Test the doorknob and spaces around the door with the back of your
hand. If the door is warm, try another escape route. If it's cool,
open it slowly. Close it quick if smoke pours through the door. If
you have to escape through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees,
keeping your head one to two feet above the floor, where the air is
the cleanest. If you can safely do so, close doors behind you as you
escape to slow the spread of fire and smoke.
Click here for
Safety Tips.Past Monthly
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Monthly Safety Message: Wildland/Vegetation Fires
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Monthly Safety Message: Disaster Preparedness
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Monthly Safety Message: Wildland Fire Safety Tips
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Monthly Safety Message: Rags & Ashes — Caution Required
Monthly Safety Message: Change your Smoke Detector Battery
Monthly Safety Message: How to Survive a Fire in Your Home
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