Your ability to get out of your home during a fire depends on advance warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.  Pull together everyone to make a plan: 

• Draw a map of your home. Show all doors and windows.  
• Visit each room. Find two ways out.  
• All windows and doors should open easily. You should be able to use them to get outside.  

If any of your second exits are through an upstairs window, make sure you have an escape ladder in that room.

• Make sure your home has smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Push the test button to make sure each alarm is working.  
• Pick a meeting place outside. It should be in front of your home.  
• Everyone will meet at the meeting place. Make sure your house or building number can be seen from the street (day or night).  

Once everyone is outside, make sure no one goes back inside for any reason.

• Talk about your plan with everyone in your home (especially babysitters and visitors).  
• Make sure everyone in your home knows how to dial 911.
• Practice your home fire drill!  Modern homes burn very quickly so you have a very short time to get out!
• Draw your Home Fire Escape Plan and post in on the fridge.

Until next month, stay safe!