Get everyone in your family together and walk around the house to find all of the possible exits. Don't just look for the obvious exits, such as the front and back doors, but other ones as well, such as: first-floor windows, garage doors, and any other safe methods of escape. Try to find at least two ways to get out of each room.Drawing a floor plan of your house and marking the exits can help you remember exactly what to do in the event of a fire.
You should find a way to escape from all of the second floor as well as the first floor rooms.
 Each time that you practice, pretend that the fire is in a different part of the house. This way, you can run the drill several times and know which routes will minimize your exposure to the smoke and fire. You can also practice waking up the sleeping family members of the house, as though the alarm went off at night.


Write out and draw your escape plan so everyone in your family knows exactly what to do.
Practicing the plan in the dark, or even with your eyes closed, can help you get comfortable with your surroundings in case your vision is clouded by smoke when you actually have to escape.
 There are several things you should know how to do as you carry out your escape plan to minimize your likelihood of being exposed to toxic smoke. Smoke and heat rise, so it will always be safer and easier to breathe as close to the ground as possible. Here are some measures that you should take:Practice crawling to avoid getting smoke in your eyes and lungs.
Practice stopping, dropping, and rolling to stomp out any fire on your clothes.
Practice touching a door with the back of your hand to know if there's fire on the other side. Start from the bottom of the door and work your way to the top, as heat rises. If the door is hot during a real fire, stay away.
Practice sealing yourself in your home if you cannot escape. If you have no way to get out, then you should close all doors that are between you and the fire. It will take 20 minutes for the door to burn. Never seal the doors with duct tape or towels.
Practice waving a flashlight or light-colored cloth out the window to let the fire department know where you are.Memorize the phone numbers to the Emergency Services. You will need to call them during a real fire.
 You should be prepared with escape ladders that you can place in or near windows to give yourself another escape route. Learn how to work the ladders for your drill so you'll be prepared to use them in the event of an emergency. You should learn how to use them from the second story windows, if there is no other method of escape from those windows. The ladder should be kept near the windows, in a location that is easy to reach., You should have one on each floor of your house, and inspect it yearly. Bigger is better when it comes to fire extinguishers, but make sure that you can easily carry and maneuver it.There are three types of fire extinguishers intended for home use: Class A, Class B, and Class C. It is also possible to buy a combination fire extinguisher as well, such as Class B-C or Class A-B-C. You can get them at most home improvement stores.A Class A fire extinguisher is intended for ordinary materials like cloth, wood and paper.
A Class B fire extinguisher is meant for combustible and flammable liquids like grease, gasoline, oil and oil-based paints.
A Class C fire extinguisher will put out electrical fires, caused by appliances, tools, and other equipment.
 Once a family member escapes the house, he or she should run to a meeting place that is at a safe distance from your home while not being too far away. This can be your neighbor's front lawn, your mailbox, or a light post. Everyone should meet at this spot once they've escaped so you know that everyone has made it safely once you do a headcount.The meeting place should be marked on your escape plan.
 Your children should not be scared of the fire and should see the drill as a form of practice. Practicing the drill with your children may also help them the dangers of fire, and make them less likely to play with it.


Children should practice the escape routes with an adult so that they don't attempt anything dangerous, like escaping from a second-story window.
Children should always be paired with an adult during the escape plan so they aren't alone.
 Check that you have a smoke alarm in every room, and that all of your doors and windows can be opened easily. This includes popping the screens out. You should also make sure that your street number is visible from the road, a minimum of 3 inches in height, and a contrasting color. This way, the firemen find your home easily, and get to it as quickly as possible.It would be even better if you had a smoke detector outside each bedroom door in the hallway as well as in each stairway.
Remember to replace batteries in the smoke detector every year. It would be a good idea to test the smoke detector during this time as well, to ensure that it is functioning properly.
If your doors or windows have security bars, they should have emergency release levers so they can be opened right away.
Make sure that every family member sleeps with their bedroom door closed. It takes 20 to 30 minutes for a door to burn, which can provide valuable escape time.
Locate all of the possible escape routes in your home.
Practice your escape plan at least twice a year.
Practice taking several safety precautions during your escape.
Have an escape ladder if you live in a multi-story house, and practice using it.
Have a fire extinguisher at home, and know how to use it.
Pick a meeting place that is a safe distance away from your home.
Make your children comfortable with the escape plan.
Make sure your home is ready for fire safety.
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