To help you plan you escape plan, first, take into consideration the following:

• Plan an escape route with your family present.
• When planning your escape, identify more than one potential exit for each room and each level. Create several different escape plans, in case one or more are blocked by fire or smoke.
• Be sure that your escape plan takes into account the particular characteristics of each member of your family including age, physical conditions, sleeping habits, hearing ability, etc.
• Young children often panic in fires, hiding in closets or under beds. Teach them not to hide— GET OUT OF A BURNING HOUSE IMMEDIATELY.
• Practice the escape plan at least twice a year, making sure that everyone is involved - from kids to grandparents
• Allow children to master fire escape planning and practice before holding a fire drill at night when they are sleeping.
• If children or others do not readily awaken to the sound of the smoke alarm, or if there are infants or family member with mobility limitations, make sure that someone is assigned to assist them in the fire drill and in the event of an emergency.
• It is recommended that you hold a fire drill while family members are sleeping in order to determine their response to the sound of the smoke alarm while sleeping and to determine whether they may need assistance in the event of an emergency.
• Practice fire drills and your escape plan with the alarm sounding. This will teach children to associate the alarm signal with the need to escape.
• Designate a meeting place outside of the home for the entire family - do a head count to be sure you have accounted for everyone.

• Feel the door before opening - if it's hot, don't open it. Use another escape route. If you can use the door, close it behind you. A closed door may help stall a fire.
• Stay low. Smoke and heat rise. Crawl on the floor where there's less smoke and less severe heat.
• Never return to a burning building for any reason including toys or pets.

If your clothes should catch fire, don't run! STOP! Where you are, cover your face, DROP to the ground, then ROCK back and forth to smother the flames!

Always remember If your smoke alarm sounds, follow your family escape route, get out of the house as quickly as possible, closing all doors behind you but not locking them and call the fire department. Do not attempt to fight the fire.

Click here to download a grid to help design your escape plan.