The Process

Identify all possible exits and escape routes from your homes. Each room should offer at least two paths to escape. When you walk through your plan, check to make sure the escape routes are clear and doors and windows can be opened easily. Make sure that you have at least one working smoke alarm on every level of your home.

Meeting Place

Choose an outside meeting place (i.e. neighbor's house, a light post, mailbox, or stop sign) a safe distance in front of your home where everyone can meet after they've escaped. Make sure to mark the location of the meeting place on your escape plan.

Once you're out, stay out! Under no circumstances should you ever go back into a burning building. If someone is missing, inform the fire department dispatcher when you call. Firefighters have the skills and equipment to perform rescues.

Making Things Easy

Go outside to see if your street number is clearly visible from the road. If not, paint it on the curb or install house numbers to ensure that responding emergency personnel can find your home.

If windows or doors in your home have security bars, make sure that the bars have quick-release mechanisms inside so that they can be opened immediately in an emergency. Quick-release mechanisms won't compromise your security - but they will increase your chances of safely escaping a home fire.

Practice Makes Perfect

Practice your home fire escape plan twice a year, making the drill as realistic as possible. Always choose the escape route that is safest - the one with the least amount of smoke and heat. When you do your fire drill, everyone in the family should practice crawling low on their hands and knees, one to two feet above the ground. By keeping your head low, you'll be able to breathe the "good" air that's closer to the floor.

Escape Ladders

If your home has two floors, every family member (including children) must be able to escape from the second floor rooms. Escape ladders can be placed in or near windows to provide an additional escape route. Review the manufacturer's instructions carefully so you'll be able to use a safety ladder in an emergency. Practice setting up the ladder from a first floor window to make sure you can do it correctly and quickly. Children should only practice with a grown-up, and only from a first-story window. Store the ladder near the window, in an easily accessible location; you don't want to have to search for it during a fire.

Practice

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.

Awaking With Alarm

It's important to determine during the drill whether children and others can readily waken to the sound of the smoke alarm. If they fail to awaken, make sure that someone is assigned to wake them up as part of the drill and in a real emergency situation.

Close Doors

Practice closing doors on your way out slows the spread of fire, giving you more time to safely escape.

Apartments

All of the above information still applies for residents in an apartment, high-rise or other multi-unit residential structure. In addition, be aware that sometimes the safest thing you can do in a tall building fire is to stay put and wait for the firefighters.

Evacuation Plan

Make sure that you're familiar with your building's evacuation plan, which should illustrate what residents are supposed to do in the event of an emergency. The evacuation plan should be posted in places where all residents can see and review it, and the building management should hold a fire drill with occupants at least once a year. Most states also require that buildings periodically test their fire safety systems as well. Be sure to participate when your building drills take place.

Always move down, never up, in a multi-story building. Even if you're near the roof or have a long stairway, it's always safer to make it to the ground level than attempt a roof rescue.

Practice

Practice using the stairs as part of your escape plan; never use an elevator. Make sure to mark and plan around the various stairways that may be present in the building, in case one is blocked by fire. If someone in your family has difficulty climbing down steps, make sure to incorporate a contingency for this into your plan. If the stairwells are filled with smoke, stay in your apartment and wait for the firefighters.

Disabled Occupants

Able-bodied as well as disabled occupants must be covered under any written evacuation procedures. If your floor has to be evacuated, you should plan to horizontally relocate to a refuge area. In buildings with automatic fire sprinkler protection, this may simply be to an adjacent compartment or office space. In other cases, your building may be provided with areas of refuge. Wait in one of the designated spaces until fire department personnel can remove you. Often times, these spaces are provided with a two-way communication device so you can give rescue personnel your location. Discuss appropriate Area of Refuge locations with the property manager.

Neighboring Complex

If a neighboring complex is on fire, don't evacuate but remain vigilant and determine if there is any change in conditions that could result in your building being threatened by the adjacent fire. In such cases, emergency personnel have adequate time to order evacuations of other buildings.

Defending in Place

If you can't exit your home or building due to smoke or fire blocking your escape routes, call the fire department to report your exact location and gather in a room with a window to await their arrival. Close all doors between you and the fire. Use duct tape or towels to create a seal around the door and over air vents in order to keep smoke from coming in. If possible, you should open your windows at the top and the bottom so fresh air can get in. Don't break the window; if smoke enters the room from outside the building, you won't be able to protect yourself. When help arrives, wave a flashlight or light-colored cloth at the window to let the fire department know where you are located.

Some material reproduced from NFPA's Fire Prevention Week website, ©2003 NFPA.