- Every home and business should have a viable fire escape plan in place, and every occupant of that building should be familiar with it. If there is not an escape plan for the building you are in, creating a fire escape route is the first step to creating one. Every room in the building should be included in the escape route and if possible, each room should have at least two escape routes in case the first becomes impassable.
- Examine each room in the building, one at a time. Consider the fastest and safest way out of the room. Fastest and safest may not be the same way. Rooms that are not on the ground floor cause special problems. Basements may have only one exit. Rooms on upper floors may have windows that are too high to provide a safe exit. Exterior doors and windows may be fitted with security bars. In each of these situations, you must think through the best way to escape. Rooms on upper floors should have collapsible ladders that are approved by legitimate testing laboratories such as Underwriters Laboratory available. Barred windows should have an interior quick release mechanism. Carefully consider any other obstacles that might hinder a rapid emergency exit from the building and determine a method for eliminating or avoiding that obstacle. Designate a specific meeting place outside the home where every occupant of the building knows to gather in the event of a fire. This will allow for a head count to make sure no one is left inside.
- Practice exiting the building using all available escape routes. Time the evacuation to find out how much time is required. Fires and thick smoke can fill a home rapidly. If it appears the escape route takes too long to negotiate, reconsider alternate routes. Practice escaping on your hands and knees because in the event of a real fire, the smoke will require you to crawl close to the floor to be able to breathe. In the event of an actual fire, get outside of the building and stay out. Contact the fire department and allow the professionals to do their jobs.