In the event of a home fire, you may have only a couple of minutes to exit safely before smoke fills the space and exits become blocked. Every moment matters when you’re reacting to a fire. By preparing and practicing a comprehensive fire safety plan, you can ensure a quicker and safer response. Make sure everyone in the home memorizes your fire department’s emergency number so they can call it as soon as they’re safe.

Practice Your Evacuation Regularly

Once you’ve created and communicated your fire safety plan, holding regular fire drills can help everyone practice the response and identify any adjustments that may be needed. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends practicing your fire escape plan at least twice a year.

Use the test button on your smoke alarms to start the drill. Practice checking doors for heat to ensure it’s safe to exit through them. Get low to the ground, simulating the need to avoid smoke, and remind everyone not to re-enter the building until the drill is complete — reinforcing that once you’ve escaped, you should never go back inside.

If applicable, practice setting up and using your escape ladder in a first-story window before the drill. Then, incorporate the ladder into your drill to ensure everyone can use it quickly and safely. Have children practice with an adult’s guidance.

Once everyone has mastered the plan, consider holding a fire drill at night to ensure everyone can wake up to the sound of smoke alarms. Be sure to inform everyone beforehand so they’re not surprised or frightened.

More Fire Escape Planning Resources

Review and practice your fire escape plan regularly, making any necessary adjustments as your family’s needs change. Additional resources can help you make your fire safety plan as thorough as possible. That’s also why having functional fire alarms is a crucial component of any fire safety plan.

Out to Alarm Texas, a partnership between the Insurance Council of Texas and State Farm Insurance, helps mitigate loss of life and property by distributing smoke alarms to Texas residents through local fire departments. Since 2005, Out to Alarm Texas has distributed over 29,500 smoke alarms, prioritizing underserved communities and vulnerable populations. It initially focused on cities with high fire-related fatalities and has expanded to serve over 50 fire departments across Texas.

While smoke alarms can save lives, they’re just the start of responding to a home fire. Here’s what to include in a potentially life-saving fire escape plan.

Create and Communicate Your Fire Escape Plan

• Identify all possible exits: Walk through your home, inspecting all potential escape routes and ensuring there are two ways out of each room. Draw a map and mark all doors and windows, as well as the location of smoke alarms.
• Ensure exits are usable: Make sure doors and windows can be opened easily, and that each exit has a clear path. If windows have safety bars, equip them with emergency release devices for quick opening. If you live in a two-story home, keep at least one escape ladder accessible near a window.
• Choose a meeting spot: Designate a place outside, a safe distance from the home, as the meeting point for everyone who has Mark the meeting spot on your map.
• Assign roles: Identify someone to assist household members who may need help exiting, such as individuals with limited mobility, elderly relatives, children, or Have backup people assigned in case the primary helper is unavailable during a fire.
• Share your fire safety plan: Make sure everyone who lives in your home understands the fire safety plan. When you have visitors, share the plan with them as well.

Following these steps can make a critical difference in the event of a home fire, helping everyone respond quickly and safely.