Plan a Home Evacuation Route

1-  Draw up a floor plan of your home. Be sure to mark door and window locations for each room.

2-  Check that all of the windows in your home open easily and fully. Keep in mind that children may be able to fit out windows that adults cannot.

3-  Look at your diagram and identify two different ways out of each room. Mark these on your diagram in different colors.

4-  Call a family meeting to discuss the best escape routes. Getting the kids involved in planning will help them remember escape routes better.

5-  Jot down the escape routes your family chooses.

6-  Agree on a meeting place outside the house. This way, you will be able to easily determine whether a family member is missing during an emergency.

Practice Using Your Home Evacuation Route

1-  Ask each family member to lie in his bed. Many fires occur at night while you are asleep.

2-  Sound a whistle to begin your emergency drill. You may wish to use a stopwatch to time your family’s escape.

3-  Block one of the two evacuation points for each room, and run your evacuation drill again. Exits may be blocked following a fire or earthquake.

4-  Carefully walk each family member through all evacuation routes.

Install Safety Equipment in the House

1-  Install smoke detectors near sleeping areas on all floors of your home. Place a smoke detector near the kitchen as well.

2-  Consider installing metal escape ladders to upper-story rooms. Blocked stairways may leave upper-story windows as your only escape route.

3-  Test your smoke alarms once every month and replace batteries as needed.