Appendix D. Home Fire Escape Planning - DSC WP8010 User Manual

APPENDIX D. HOME FIRE ESCAPE PLANNING

Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you a short time to escape safely. Your ability to get out
depends on advance warning from smoke detectors and advance planning - a home fire escape plan that
everyone in your family is familiar with and has practiced.

Pull together everyone in your household and make an evacuation plan.

Draw a floor plan of your home, showing two ways out of each room, including windows. Don‟t forget to mark
the location of every smoke detector.
Test all smoke detectors (by a qualified testing laboratory) periodically, to ensure their serviceability.
Replace batteries as required.

Make sure that everyone understands the escape plan and recognizes the sound of smoke alarm. Verify
that the escape routes are clear and that doors and windows can be opened easily.

If windows or doors in your home have security bars, make sure that the bars have quick-release mechanisms
on the inside, so that they can be opened immediately in an emergency case. Quick release mechanisms won‟t
compromise your security, but they will increase your chances of safely escaping a home fire.

Practice the escape plan at least twice a year, making sure that everybody is involved - from kids to
grandparents. Allow children to master fire escape planning and practice before holding a fire drill at night
when they are sleeping. The objective is to practice, not to frighten, so telling children there will be a drill
before they go to bed can be as effective as a surprise drill. If children or others do not readily waken to the
sound of the smoke alarm, or if there are infants or family members with mobility limitations, make sure that
someone is assigned to assist them in fire drill and in the event of an emergency.

Agree on an outside meeting place where everyone can meet after they‟ve escaped. Remember to get out
first, and then call for help. Never go back inside until the fire department gives the OK.

Have everyone memorize the emergency phone number of the fire department. That way any member of
the household can call from a cellular phone or a neighbor‟s home.

Be fully prepared for a real fire: when a smoke alarm sounds, get out immediately and once you are out,
stay out - leave the firefighting to the professional!

If you live in an apartment building, make sure that you are familiar with the building evacuation plan. In case
of a fire, use the stairs, never the elevator.
Tell guests or visitors to your home about your family‟s fire escape plan. When visiting other people‟s home, ask
about their escape plan. If they don‟t have a plan in place, offer to help them make one. This is especially
important when children are permitted to attend "sleepovers" at friends' homes.
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