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Plan, practice, and repeat your escape plan with First Alert!
Fire safety is a big thing in our house. Bedroom doors are closed when we’re sleeping. We don’t buy live Christmas trees. Small appliances are unplugged when we’re not using them. We do all the things we can to prevent a fire from taking place. Of course, with a Hubby/Dada that works as a fire fighter, it’s only natural that we take our fire safety very seriously. But despite our best efforts, it’s still possible for our home to experience a fire. So today, I’m sharing some tips to help you prepare your family, in case you’re ever faced with a fire emergency.
Have A Plan
Did you know that only 43% of homeowners have an emergency escape plan? I’m embarrassed to admit that even with all our fire safety knowledge and preparation, our family was not part of the 43%. We’d never sat down as a family and discussed what to do or where to go, if a fire emergency should occur. In the event of an emergency, every second counts! So we knew it was important to take the time to sit down with our girls to plan and practice our emergency escape route, just in case disaster strikes.
First Alert makes it easy to plan your exit strategy with their First Alert Escape Planning Sheet. You print out the planning sheet and draw a map of your home, including all doorways and windows. You should know and plan at least two ways out of every room, and teach your children how to escape on their own. It’s so important that children know how to get to safety on their own, in case someone isn’t able get to them. Talk about feeling the door, doorknob, and cracks around the door with the back of your hand to see if they are too hot. Teach your children that if there is smoke, they need to “get low and go.” Then, plan a family meeting place that’s a safe distance away, like a mailbox or a tree. Wait to call 911 until you’re outside and under no circumstances should anyone ever go back inside!
Plan. Practice. Repeat.
It’s important to make the escape planning a whole family affair. This helps ensure that every family member knows how to get out if there’s an emergency and where to meet. Once your plan is in place, remember to practice it at least twice a year. Plan. Practice. Repeat.
Install Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Having an emergency escape plan is important, but it’s useless if you don’t know that a fire happening! Protection is key! The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends installing smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors on each and every level of your home – especially near the the bedrooms. Alarms should be tested regularly to make sure they’re in their proper working order, and batteries should be tested every 6 months. When the batteries on our old smoke detectors started wearing out, we opted to make the switch to First Alert’s 10-Year Sealed Battery Alarms. The 10-Year alarms mean you don’t have to replace the battery for the life of the alarm. Peace of mind without the middle of the night chirping!
First Alert offers a variety of alarms, to fit your family, your home, and your lifestyle. We opted for the 2-in-1 protection of a 10-Year Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm. Two birds, one stone, less worry!
They also make a more portable, tabletop 10-Year Carbon Monoxide Alarm that really gave us peace of mind while camping with my parents and their camper.
Have a Fire Extinguisher
The NFPA also recommends there be at least one fire extinguisher on each level of your home, especially in the kitchen. Kitchen fires can happen anytime for any reason. I once set a couple pans of cupcakes on fire in the oven and had to use an extinguisher to put them out (side note – marshmallow fluff is very flammable)! Thank God I had a fire extinguisher on hand and was able to avoid total disaster! Now I keep one in the kitchen and another in the garage, so there’s always one close at hand if we ever need it again.
Buy an Escape Ladder
My family lives in a single-story home. If we need to escape through a window, we easily can. But, if you live in a multi-story home, it’s also a really good idea to have at least one escape ladder, so your family can still get to safety, even if the stairs are blocked. Then, once you get it, open it up and read the instructions and make sure it will work with your window and location and that you know how to use it properly.
Learning how to prepare for a fire emergency is essential to make sure you can keep your loved ones – and yourself – as safe as possible, so take the steps to protect and prepare your family today! Don’t put them off because you think a fire emergency will never happen to you. It can happen anywhere, at any time, to anyone. Protect yourself and your family today!
Remember these tips to protect your family:
- Have a Plan
- Plan. Practice. Repeat.
- Install Smoke & CO2 Detectors
- Have a Fire Extinguisher
- Buy an escape ladder
How are you preparing and protecting your family from a fire emergency?
