The Fire Escape Plan Essential for Emergencies | SERVPRO of Greater Sussex County

6/1/2024 (Permalink)

Make sure you have a plan in place when the unexpected happens. Once you're safe, call SERVPRO of Greater Sussex County to help take care of the rest!

The vast majority of house fires are unexpected, which means that they can create chaos in seconds for the unfortunate homeowners that are caught unprepared. Every second counts when it comes to getting out of your home and finding safety, so everyone in your family should know what to do and where to go when a fire breaks out. 

Does your family have a reliable fire escape plan? When was the last time you went over it together? Our team explains below how to create a fire emergency response plan so that everyone can stay safe when disaster strikes.

The Plan Creation 

While every household is different, every household needs to have a fire escape plan. Take the time to draw an outline of each level of your home and then walk around as a family to each room to find the emergency exits along the way. 

Keep in mind that it is important to point out that the windows can (and should) be used in an emergency. However, be sure that you explain the importance of window safety and that windows should never be used as toys or something to play with.

Once you’ve identified exits in every room of your house, go outside and find a central meeting location that you can all access. Be sure that it is far enough away from your home that you can all gather there safely while the fire is being put out. Mailboxes, trees across the street or your neighbor’s doorstep are all good options.

If you live in an apartment or a multi-unit property, make sure you do the same preparations for your family. After creating the diagram of your space, go out into the hallway and make sure your kids know to use the stairs instead of the elevator in an emergency, and locate the fire escape for your level.

Practice Makes Perfect 

While having a plan is a great first step, you need to practice it in order for your kids to retain any information! Simulate a fire emergency by having your kids play in different rooms in your home, and then hit the test button on your smoke alarm. Time your kids to see how long it takes them to get out of their rooms and to safety.

Once they are in the hallway, have them practice crawling on their hands and knees, and explain the importance of staying below the smoke line. Even just a couple of deep inhales of smoke is enough to cause a person to become drowsy and disoriented in the face of an emergency. 

Dealing With the Aftermath 

Once you are outside, have your kids pretend to call 911 and then review the information that they should relay to the dispatcher. Doing this every season can help everyone stay prepared so they can be more confident during a true emergency.

Remember, safety is your top priority during a house fire, so you may be dealing with some pretty significant home damage even though your entire family is safe and accounted for. Give us a call right away so we can confidently tackle your restoration. We will rebuild and restore your damaged home from the ground up! 

A single house fire can lead to serious damage. Call SERVPRO of Greater Sussex County today.