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Emergency Evacuation
Establish and regularly practice a plan of escape in the event of fire. The following steps are
recommended by the National Fire Protection Association:
1. Position your detector or your interior and/or exterior sounders so that
they can be heard by all occupants.
2. Determine two means of escape from each room. One path of escape
should lead to the door that permits normal exit from the building. The
other may be a window, should your path be impassable. Station an
escape ladder at such windows if there is a long drop to the ground.
3. Sketch a floor plan of the building. Show windows, doors, stairs and
rooftops that can be used to escape. Indicate escape routes for each room.
Keep these routes free from obstruction and post copies of the escape
routes in every room.
4. Assure that all bedroom doors are shut while you are asleep. This will
prevent deadly smoke from entering while you escape.
5. Try the door. If the door is hot, check your alternate escape route. If the
door is cool, open it cautiously. Be prepared to slam the door if smoke or
heat rushes in.
6. Where smoke is present, crawl on the ground; do not walk upright.
Smoke rises and may overcome you. Clearer air is near the floor.
7. Escape quickly; don't panic.
8. Establish a common meeting place outdoors, away from your house,
where everyone can meet and then take steps to contact the authorities
and account for those missing. Choose someone to assure that nobody
returns to the house — many die going back.
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