Have a Plan

It’s kind of like insurance or a will—crucial to have but something you hope you never need.

With 7 out of 10 fires in Canada occurring at home, preparing and practicing a family fire escape plan is something worth doing, once (of course) you have ensured that smoke alarms are properly installed throughout the house (ideally one in each bedroom but at least one at the top of stairways leading to bedrooms as well as at the top of the stairs from the basement, and at least one on each floor where there are sleeping areas) and have started the habit of testing them weekly and replacing the batteries every time the time changes, spring and fall.

Plan to Escape

• Start with drawing a floor plan of your home showing all windows and doors. Working as a family, plan two possible ways out of every room, especially bedrooms.
• Ensure everyone knows to escape immediately when they hear an alarm or someone yelling ‘Fire’ and not to stop to take possessions or pets. Remind them to crawl low under the smoke. (Even rolling out of bed rather than sitting up can help reduce smoke exposure.)
• Make sure all windows and doors can be opened by all members of the family. Teach children how to open their bedroom windows. For two-story houses, consider buying an emergency escape ladder.
• Choose a meeting place in front of your home (such as a tree or lamppost) so everyone knows where to go—this is critical to confirm everyone has escaped from the building.
• Remind everyone of the importance to ‘Get Out and Stay Out’. Once you are out, there should be no going back for anything or anyone.

• Ensure everyone old enough to dial the phone knows the emergency number (usually 911). Call from a neighbour’s house or a cell phone once you are safe outside. Don’t waste time calling from inside the home—focus on the evacuation of the people first.
• Once you have a plan, practice it! Start with everyone in their bedrooms and sound the alarm. Practice the two different escape routes you have planned, and different fire scenarios such as a basement fire or a kitchen fire. Understand the fire location impact on the different routes. Pretend there are no lights and the rooms are smoke-filled. Remember to get down low and feel each door you need to open with the back of your hand to determine if it is hot and there is fire on the other side. Close doors behind you to prevent the spread of fire. Don’t rush it—make sure everyone knows what to do and after you are finished, sit down as a family to discuss how to improve performance.
• Involve your children and understand their capabilities. Depending on their age and temperament, some will be able to stay calm in the situation and others will not. Some children will be able to open windows, others not. So plan accordingly—you know your child best.

The Voice of Alarm
Surprisingly, many children under the age of 15 are unlikely to wake up at the sound of a smoke alarm. Try practicing fire drills at night until they become familiar with the sound and react to it. And it’s important to decide who will be assigned to assist younger children with their evacuation (e.g. Mom checks Jack’s room, Dad checks Jill’s). For an extra measure of safety, watch out for vocal smoke detectors that allow parents to record a message in their own voice. They have proven more likely to wake children up and can be used to remind the children of details of the escape plan (available in the U.S. now, we bought one on Ebay and our sources tell us they will soon be available in Canada).

Make this a family activity (but not a game—it’s important that everyone takes it seriously), involve the kids as much as possible, work on the plan, and then run through it at least twice a year. A good idea might be to practice around the same time they do at school to reinforce the message. Regular practice of an escape plan is the best way to prevent panic and ensure every member of the family knows what to do—when a fire strikes there is no time to think.

So make a plan. You’ll be glad you did.

For more planning resources, check with your local fire department or download the City of Toronto’s Family Escape Plan kit and worksheets here or the City of Calgary’s Make Your Own Escape Plan kit here

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