Do you have a fire escape plan?

4/20/2022 (Permalink)

Fire Escape Plan 101

Have you ever thought about what would happen after a fire in your home? What would you do, what would your family do? Do you have a plan for the elderly, pets, and small children? 

If you answered no to any of these questions, you may want to consider a fire escape plan. Not everyone in your family could be ready and prepared to get out during such a dire emergency, so having a plan is the best way to keep them safe. 

You want to make sure everyone is included. You want to make sure there is a point person who can alert someone who may not hear or be disabled and not know what a fire alarm is. Also, assign someone to keep an eye out for the pets. The best way to prepare a pet is keep them in one area of the house during the nighttime or when you're away or keep them in a crate. Finding pets at night is hardest part  of making the plan. There is not way to know where they could be unless you have a standing place the entire family knows about. 

When planning this escape route for your family there are a few factors to consider: 

Have two ways to escape: You never know where a fire could start. You want to make sure there are a few different escape routes so you have a sure way to leave your home, if it is on fire. 

Pick a Meeting Spot: Find somewhere far enough away from your home that cannot catch fire from being close to your home, but it is not too far to go in the middle of the night or walk to alone.

Trial your smoke alarms: Make sure to test your smoke alarms quarterly or twice a year to keep them up to date and charged with working batteries. 

Trial your escape plan: Have every family member do the escape plan when there is not an emergency a couple times a year so everyone remembers what to do. 

Make a plan for if you cannot exit through the two escape routes: Sometimes if a fire spreads quickly it may be hard to a family member to get to an escape place. Make sure they know to keep their bedroom doors closed and to either exit through a window or stay put and lay a towel under the door to keep smoke out until emergency help arrives. 

Make a plan for when the fire is out: You want to make sure you have an idea of who to call when the fire has been put out. You may need window boarding, help with secondary damages, contents cleaning, or all of the above.

You local SERVPRO® of Pulaski and Laurel Counties has been cleaning fire damages for over twenty years. Call us for help after you have an emergency. We are here to help!