Having and practicing a home fire escape plan can save your life in the event of a fire, especially when it takes only a few minutes for a flame to grow large enough to engulf the contents of the average home. A fire safety study was conducted by Liberty Mutual Insurance in 2011, and one of the findings was that only 28 percent of families with children under the age of 12 have ever conducted a home fire drill. The study also found that more than a third of parents have never created or discussed a fire escape plan with their family.
While most of the parents surveyed say that their reasoning is that they never had the thought occur to them, many also said they didn't know how to create one. This column will serve as a reminder to create your family fire safety plan, and it will tell you how to create one.
Get your family together and draw a birds-eye view of your home's layout. Mark in all the possible exits from the home, which are typically the doors and windows. Make sure that every member of the family is familiar with and strong enough to open the doors and windows. Those members who can't reach the windows or aren't strong enough to open them should have someone assigned to get them out in case of fire. Keep all exit paths clear.
Mark in the smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Go around the house and test each one so that you are familiar with the sound they make when activated. Batteries should be changed annually to make sure they are current. Pick a day to change the batteries — one that is easy to remember like Christmas time, New Year's, your birthday or Daylight Savings Time in the fall. Alarms more than 10 years old should be replaced.
Decide how to get out of multiple-story homes if fire is blocking the stairs in the home. Some upper windows may lead to another roof, such as a garage. If not, the upper floor should have at least one fire escape ladder. This is a good time to get one and practice how to use it in an emergency.
Choose an outside meeting place where all family members will assemble in case of fire. This inventory is done to account for family members, and you should notify incoming fire companies of any missing people or if everyone is accounted for. Let us know where to find you when the fire is controlled or if we have any questions. Make sure everyone knows to call the fire department only after they are outside the home.
Sleep with bedroom doors closed to help keep the smoke and heat away while you put your plan into operation. Never re-enter a burning building for anything. Let firefighters know of important items, as we have the equipment to enter buildings on fire. Finally, this plan needs to be practiced to make it familiar with all family members. Why not tonight?
Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.
