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14. Good Safety Habits
Develop and Practice a Plan of Escape
Prepare and practice a home escape plan twice a year, including drills at night. Know two ways out of every
room (door & window) and identify a meeting place outside the home where everyone will gather once they
have exited the residence. When two people have reached the meeting place, one should leave to call 911 while
the second person stays to account for additional family members. Establish a rule that once you’re out, you
never re-enter under any circumstance!
• Make a floor plan indicating all doors and windows and at least two (2) escape routes from each room.
Stories above ground level may need a rope or chain ladder.
• Have a family meeting and discuss your escape plan, showing everyone what to do in case of fire and where
to meet after they leave the house.
• Ensure that small children hear the alarm and wake when it sounds. They must wake up in order to execute
the escape plan. Practice allows all occupants to test your plan before an emergency. You may not be able
to reach your children. It is important they know what to do.
• Familiarize everyone with the sounds of the smoke alarm and train them to leave your home when they hear it.
• Current studies have shown smoke alarms may not awaken all sleeping individuals, and that it is the respon-
sibility of individuals in the household that are capable of assisting others to provide assistance to those who
may not be awakened by the alarm sound, or to those who may be incapable of safely evacuating the area
unassisted.
• Install and maintain fire extinguishers on every level of the home and in the kitchen, basement and garage.
Know how to use a fire extinguisher prior to an emergency.
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