When emergencies occur, minutes or even seconds can be the difference between life and death. You should always have an escape strategy for any building you enter.
Escape Planning in Commercial Buildings
- Any time you enter a commercial building that you are unfamiliar with, you should make a mental note of where the nearest marked exits are.
- The door you enter a building through may not be your closest emergency exit.
Escape Planning in Your Home
- Make a map of your home. Mark a door and a window that can be used to get out of every room.
- Choose a meeting place outside in front of your home that everyone in the home is familiar with. This is where everyone can meet once they've escaped and where firefighters can see you and know your are out. Draw a picture of your outside meeting place on your escape plan.
- Write the emergency telephone (911) number for fire, ems, and law enforcement on your escape plan.
- Keep your escape plan on the refrigerator, and practice every six months and incorporate it into smoke alarm testing.
To download a free fire escape planning grid click here.