Family Fire Escape Plan
...ond way out might be a out a window and onto an adjacent roof or using an NFPA approved collapsible ladder for escape from upper story windows. You should always make sure that windows are not stuck and screens can be taken out quickly. If you have security bars, be sure that they can be properly opened. You should also practice feeling your way out of the house in the dark with your eyes closed. That brings us to getting out of the house quickly. Don’t waste any time try to retrieve valuables. Take the safest exit route, but if you must escape though smoke, remember to crawl low, under the smoke and keep you mouth covered. The smoke contains toxic gases which can disorient you or, at worst, over come you. One thing to always remember while escaping is when you come to a closed door, us the back of your hand to feel the middle o the door, the doorknob, and the crack between the door and the door frame to make sure that the fire is not on the other side. If it feels hot use your secondary escape route. Even if the door feels cool you should open the door slowly. If heat and smoke come in you should slam the door closed and make sure that it is securely closed, then use your alternate. After you make you escape your family should have a designated meeting location away from the house. A common mistake that a lot of people make is to use the fire hydrant in front of their house for the meeting place. If your house is on fire, there is about to be a whole lot of action surrounding that fire hydrant you should try and pick a location that will not interfere with responding fire/rescue vehicles. After everyone arrives at the meeting place you should send someone to a neighbor’s ho...