Today's home fires burn faster than ever. You may have as little as two minutes (or even less time) to safely escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds. Your ability to get out of ta home during a fire depens on early warning from smoke alarms and advance planning.
Don’t Wait, Plan Your Escape
- Every family should have a Home Fire Escape Plan [PDF - 3 MB].
- Draw your plan, marking two ways out of every room. Include windows.
- Pick a meeting place outside, well away from the building.
- Tell everyone to meet there after they’ve escaped. Count heads and tell the fire department if anyone is missing.
- Remember to call the fire department from a safe location.
Practice Your Plan
- Plans are great, but practicing them is the only way to know if they work.
- Hold a home fire drill.
- Getting out of your own home sounds easy, but your home can look very different if it’s full of smoke.
- Children in particular need to practice.
- Children practice drills at school, but rarely at home. Fires are far more likely to happen at home.
See our Fire Prevention & Safety at Home for more tips to Make a Home Escape Plan.