It’s the middle of the night. You hear the sound everyone dreads – the beeping of the fire alarm. What do you do?<\/span><\/p>\n You are in the middle of an important meeting at work. You look out the window and see smoke billowing and then hear the sound of the fire alarm. What do you do?<\/span><\/p>\n There were <\/span>1.3 million fires<\/span><\/a> reported in the U.S. in 2016. In these fires, more than 3,000 people died and more than 14,000 were injured. Property damage from these fires is estimated to be around $10.6 billion!<\/span><\/p>\n Stop, drop, and roll doesn’t always cut it if there’s a fire. You need to know how to get out. Does your family or workplace have a fire escape plan?<\/span><\/p>\n If not, here are some tips to help you make one now. You need to answer the question – what do you do?<\/span><\/p>\n When you are ready to create a family plan, you should visit one of the several <\/span>kid-friendly websites<\/span><\/a> to help you. These sites give great pointers on how to create your plan and how to get your kids familiar with firefighters.<\/span><\/p>\n Get your household together to make your plan. You should draw a floor plan of your home and mark the exits for your children. Point out all the smoke alarms.<\/span><\/p>\n You need to identify two escape routes for each room. You always need a backup.<\/span><\/p>\n Check all your escape routes, and make sure they are clear. Also, make sure any windows you choose can be opened easily.<\/span><\/p>\n Pick an outdoor meeting spot such as a neighbor’s mailbox, stop sign, or driveway that is a safe distance from your home. Pick a spot in front of your home, so it would be easy to spot everyone quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n Include all the emergency numbers in your plan and make sure children know what number to call, how to use a cell phone, or which neighbor’s house to go to make the call. You want to teach your children to call emergency personnel when they are outside the home and not still inside.<\/span><\/p>\n If you have any infants or someone who can’t get around easily, assign an adult to ensure that person gets out. You should also have a backup person just in case.<\/span><\/p>\n Everyone should get low to get out of the house. You should always close doors on your way out because it can slow down the fire.<\/span><\/p>\n Tell your kids to stay out of the home once they are out. No one should ever go back into the home because fires can escalate fast.<\/span><\/p>\n You should also show your children pictures of firefighters in full gear, so they know what they look like. The full gear can be scary for children.<\/span><\/p>\n This is the motto for any firehouse or business. Everyone needs to stay low and get out as fast as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n Everyone should crouch down and exit. You need to stay low. Before opening a door, feel the door with the back of your hand to see if it’s hot.<\/span><\/p>\n For businesses, you may want to consider a safety presentation to go over fire safety and other hazards altogether.<\/span><\/p>\n Your business fire evacuation plan will be pretty similar to a home plan. It needs to include:<\/span><\/p>\n In addition, you will need to assign additional responsibilities including:<\/span><\/p>\n Post multiple floor plans throughout the office. These plans should identify the main evacuation routes along with back up routes. Make sure you also list your chosen meeting spot on this plan.<\/span><\/p>\n How often does someone replace the batteries in your alarm system? Is your fire system up-to-date?<\/span><\/p>\n Do you have the proper sprinkler systems? Also, do you have fire extinguishers?<\/span><\/p>\n There’s a lot of questions you may have as a business owner. You want to make sure your business is safe.<\/span><\/p>\n You need to be able to identify all areas that may be fire hazards.<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to a fire escape plan, your business should be <\/span>prepared to handle the aftermath<\/span><\/a> of a fire. What if the fire didn’t cause that much damage, but all your computers were damaged by the sprinklers? Do you have an alternate location to conduct business if necessary?<\/span><\/p>\nCreating Your Home Plan<\/b><\/h2>\n
Other Things to Consider for Your Fire Escape Plan<\/b><\/h2>\n
Get Low and Go<\/b><\/h2>\n
Creating Your Business Evacuation Plan<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Other Things to Consider for Business Fire Plans<\/b><\/h2>\n