How to prepare for home fire safety begins with everyone in your house being trained, prepared and knowing what to do in the case of a fire. There are more than 75 million two and three story homes in the United States but only six percent of these homes have any kind of a fire escape. Every home should have a plan for home fire safety to include evacuation plans.

The plan should be developed by the entire family and practices at least twice a year. All multi-level homes should have fire escapes.

If you need assistance developing a fire safety plan for your home the local fire department can provide assistance. October is the “fire safety month” in most locations. Local fire departments use this time to teach families about the importance of fire safety and help develop fire safety plans. Provide them with a floor plan of your home and they will assist you in developing the plan for your home.

When an upstairs window is one of the escape options make sure that the room has a fire escape ladder that is long enough to reach the ground. Families may consider an innovative built-in ladder as an option or a simple rope ladder. Make sure every adult and older child member of the family knows how to use the ladder. Adults should take responsibility for assisting younger children. Decide in advance which adult family members will assist children from their rooms.

Many of the thousands of house fire related deaths and injuries can be avoided simply by having a home fire safety plan. If you have not developed a plan for your home you should do so immediately. After the plan is developed the whole family should test it periodically. Home fire drills are a training exercise that will keep you prepared in the event there is a fire.

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