Peter D.
Bowden
Residential
Designer 
Phone:
508.823.9201 
Preparing for the Worst: FIRE!!!!
This is perhaps the most important part of
our Home Safety page. Home Plan Designs urges you to read and re-read this
section until you and your family are 100% sure of what to do in case of the
unthinkable… a fire in your home. Countless people are killed each year
due to being unprepared and lack of communication among family
members.
Planning and practicing the following can save
lives!
Plan Escape Strategies
- Plan a home fire escape route and make sure everyone
understands every square inch of it.
- Draw a floor plan of your home.
- Identify all doors, windows, halls and stairways that
can be used to exit your home and include as part of your floor plan.*
- Determine all exit routes and keep them clear of
obstructions such as furniture, toys, clutter, etc. at all times. Indicate
these exit routes in your floor plan, as well.
- Ideally, every room should have two exits, with the
primary one being the safest and fastest route to the outside. The secondary
exit can be another doorway, stairway or window. Again, include these, clearly
marked, in your fire escape” floor plan.”
- Practice, practice, practice! Hold family practice
drills frequently – at least twice a year – until every family member
“has it down.” Hold drills during the day while everybody is awake
and at night while children are asleep to see how they will respond. Be sure to
note if anyone in the family may need some help: a small child, an elderly
person or a physically challenged family member, perhaps? Also, be sure to note
if a child sleeps through the alarm and needs to be awakened by an adult. And
finally, keep in mind that an infant will need to be carried to safety. Use
blindfolds since fires emit thick, dark smoke making it impossible to see.
Also, have everyone drop to the floor, keeping in mind that the freshest air
lingers at the bottom of a room while heat, smoke and gases tend to rise.
- Finally, arrange for an agreed-upon place for family
members to meet, once safely outside.
- Take your drill a step further: Purchase an escape
ladder and teach family members how to use it.
* This is an excellent
habit to get into if you or a loved one travels frequently. Many a life has
been saved during hotel or motel fires because travelers took just a few
minutes to familiarize themselves with their surroundings and plan escape
routes ahead of time.
In addition:
- Be certain that every family member can quickly open
door locks and window latches.
- Check to ensure that no window has been painted shut.
- If your home has security bars installed, make sure it
has an operable, quick-release feature that everyone is familiar with.
What to do if fire strikes:
- Stay close to the floor for the freshest, coolest air
until you reach the door. Heat and smoke tend to rise.
- Place the back of your hand on doors to check for heat.
If the door feels cool, open slowly. If it feels hot, keep it closed.
- If the primary exit is blocked by smoke or fire, close
all doors between you and the smoke and use your secondary exit. (SEE PLAN
ESCAPE STRATEGIES)
- If using a window for escape, DO NOT JUMP! Turn on the
room’s lights, open the window and signal for help.
- Never, ever attempt to escape a fire using an elevator!
- Once you’ve made your escape, go to the designated
meeting area for your family.
- Call 911 from a neighbor’s home.
- Inform arriving fire fighters as to whether or not
everyone got out safely.
- DO NOT GO BACK INTO THE BURNING BUILDING. Let the
professionally trained fire fighters do their job. They have the tools and
know-how to search, rescue and extinguish the fire.
* This is an
excellent habit to get into if you or a loved one travels frequently. Many a
life has been saved during hotel or motel fires because travelers took just a
few minutes to familiarize themselves with their surroundings and plan escape
routes ahead of time.
A Final Note:
Make sure your
street address is posted on your home and that its numbers are easily visible
from the street. This is an effective safety feature for ALL arriving emergency
personnel.
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