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Have a Home Escape Plan
Family members should discuss what to do in case
of a fire. An organized step-by-step plan is
essential to ensure a safe escape.
Know Two Ways Out
Discuss and diagram two ways out of every room,
especially bedrooms. Doors are the primary and
windows are the secondary ways of exit. Make sure
everyone knows how to unlock all locks, and
quickly open all windows and doors. Include all
hallways and stairs in the escape plan.
Choose a Meeting Place
Have a place outdoors for everyone to meet for
roll call. Make sure someone is assigned to call
9-1-1 from a neighbor’s house or a pay phone.
Get Out Fast
Exit as quickly as possible. If it’s smoky, get
down low, and stay low. Crawl as quickly as
possible. Once outside, go to the family meeting
place.
If Trapped
Put closed doors between people and smoke. Stuff
cracks and cover vents to keep smoke out. Wait at
the window and signal with a flashlight or a
sheet.
If a dwelling has more than one level
above ground, we recommend the use of a portable
escape ladder in an emergency evacuation. If a
portable ladder is not available, hang a
pillowcase, sheet, or shirt out of the window to
flag the rescuers. Do not jump unless there is
immediate danger of being burned or overcome by
smoke, and no rescuer is in sight. Make special
arrangements for small children and people with
disabilities.
Do Not Go Back Inside
Make sure everyone in the family understands the
importance of not going back inside a burning
building for any reason. In Abilene our response
time to a house fire is usually less than 5
minutes. When we get there, we will go in and
search for people, pets, etc. Someone who goes
back in may not come back out.
Practice the Plan
Practice E.D.I.T.H. (Exit Drills In The Home) in
the home or ask the management to schedule one in
an apartment building twice a year.
Appoint someone to sound the alarm
and time the drill, making sure everyone uses the
second escape route and gets low, and goes.
Most fatal fires occur at night when
everyone is asleep, so everyone should start the
drill in his/her bedroom. Close the door and wait
for the monitor to sound the alarm.
Practice crawling fast and staying
low to escape smoke. Smoke rises while clean air
stays low near the floor, so get down on your
knees and crawl, maintaining contact with the
walls while heading to the nearest exit.
Test the door using the back of your
hands. In a real fire, if hot, take your second
way out. If the second exit is not an option,
brace a shoulder against the door and open it
carefully, being ready to close it quickly if heat
or smoke rush in.
Get out fast and go to the meeting
place, where the monitor will then take a head
count and review the drill, discussing any
problems with escape routes.
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