5 Steps to Fire Safety

10/24/2018 (Permalink)

A fire escape plan is a vital part of your family's safety

Protecting your home in Plano, KY, from fire damage is an essential safety precaution. It's important to have a fire escape plan, however, just in case your home does catch fire. The American Red Cross gives several tips on how you can prepare for a fire emergency in your home.

5 Steps to Fire Safety

1. Make a list of emergency contact numbers. The emergency number 9-1-1 is pretty easy to remember, but you will also need to contact your insurance company and fire restoration specialists pretty soon after you vacate your home. Having these numbers stored on your phone or in your backup files online ahead of time can significantly minimize the amount of time it takes to process the damage.

2. Have an emergency escape plan. Everyone in the family should be able to name two ways to get out of every room in your home. That way, if one path is blocked, you can still get to safety. Talk about the plan with family members to ensure everyone understands it.

3. Install and maintain smoke detectors. Your fire escape plan will likely be put into action by the sound of a smoke alarm. Install a detector in a common area on every level of the home and one outside each sleeping area. Test them monthly to make sure they're operational.

4. Establish a meeting point. Decide as a family where you will meet if you get separated after the fire. It could be a neighbor's house or a well-lit convenience store down the block. Everyone should be able to get there quickly on foot.

5. Practice the plan. At least twice a year, have a family fire drill. Go through the motions of evacuating your home as if it were actually on fire so that everyone can get a feel for what the process may be like if it ever becomes necessary.

A fire escape plan is a vital part of your family's safety. While you may never need it, but you'll be glad to have it if you do.