Fire Escape Plans

11/8/2024 (Permalink)

How To Make a Fire Escape Plan For Your Home Whether from faulty wires or a candle left burning, any Morgantown residence is at risk for the possibility of a home fire. The National Fire Protection Association estimates two minutes to escape a building once the fire alarm sounds. Rather than wait for those crucial seconds, create a fire escape plan now to ensure everyone in your home knows what to do. 

Survey Your Home 

The first step to creating an effective fire escape plan is knowing when and where you can escape. Walk through your home and look for these three crucial factors:  

Fire alarms should be installed on every level, as well as within every sleeping area and connecting halls. Mark the location of each and check they are all functioning.  

Every room should have two ways out, including doors and windows. Windows should be easy to open, and any security screens or bars should be simple to release. 

There should be no blockage in front of the two routes of every room. Ensure bookshelves, storage or home decorations don’t slow down your ability to escape quickly 

Once you have established the layout of your home you can create an effective plan. Gather everyone in your household and consider drawing a floor plan, marking all fire alarms and escape routes. Select an outdoor meeting location such as a neighbor’s house, lamp post or stop sign and ensure everyone knows where to meet after leaving the house.

Next, it’s time to put it to the test. Practice the Plan Everyone in the household should be able to successfully complete your fire escape plan, from smoke alarm going off to meeting at the pre established outdoor location, within two minutes. Practice waking up to the sound of the smoke alarm, walking through the plan, and meeting outside. Twenty minutes to create your home emergency escape plan now can make all the difference in the two minutes you could be faced with then. Ensure everyone in your household knows how to contact emergency services and keep the number for your local fire restoration company nearby should the need arise.

Tracie "Dusty" Nichols

304-291-3434