Do’s:
- Make sure that everyone knows two ways out of every room.
- Teach children to crawl on their hands and knees in an effort to stay low under smoke.
- Close doors behind you to slow the spread of fire and smoke.
- Plan a meeting spot outside the house, at a neighbor’s or in a special place in the yard a good distance from the house.
- Teach kids that once they get outside, they should stay outside.
- Hold frequent fire drills, including some at night and make sure everyone is following the plan perfectly. Assign someone to call 911.
- Smoke alarms save lives.
- Install a smoke alarm outside each sleeping area and on each additional level of your home. Replace the batteries every six months.
Don’ts:
- Do not rely on one way to escape from your home.
- Do not forget about the levels of your home. Consider escape ladders for sleeping areas on the second and third floor.
- Do not assume everyone will remember how to exit your home during a fire. Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
- Do not reenter a burning building. Nothing is as valuable as your life.
- Do not open a door without feeling it first. If it is warm, the fire is nearby and you could cause the greater risk of spreading the fire and injuring yourself.